Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Medicine! Nova Vet Takes Home the Coveted 2026 Vet Candy Design & Innovation Award
Alberta's Art Deco gem proves that veterinary clinics can be both beautiful and brilliant, and will accept the award at WVC Vegas from 2023 winner Dr. Jessica Trice, of Vetique Chicago.
When was the last time you walked into a veterinary clinic and felt like you'd stepped onto the set of The Great Gatsby? If you've been to Nova Vet in Alberta, Canada, you know exactly what we're talking about. This Art Deco masterpiece just won Vet Candy's 2026 Design & Innovation Award, and trust us, it's absolutely deserved.
Co-founded by veterinary technologist Shannon Gervais and veterinarian, Dr. Dan McClair and named after Shannon’s dachshund Nova (who is clearly living her best life as the clinic's namesake and unofficial mascot), Nova Vet is rewriting the rules on what a veterinary clinic can look like, feel like, and be. From the tech workflow to the clinic workflow it was both of them working as a synergistic RVT and DVM power pair.
Forget sterile white walls and industrial flooring. Nova Vet is serving 1920s glamour with a modern veterinary medicine twist, and we are here for it.
Shannon and Dr. Dan will accept the award at WVC Vegas 2026, where it will be presented by Dr. Jessica Trice, co-founder of Vetique Chicago and one of the 2023 Design & Innovation Award winners. Talk about passing the torch from one design innovator to another.
JAZZ AGE VIBES, 21ST CENTURY CARE
The moment you walk through Nova Vet's doors, you're transported. Geometric patterns climb the walls in bold jewel tones (emerald green, sapphire blue, deep amethyst). Brass accents catch the light from carefully curated fixtures that would make any interior designer weep with joy. The lighting alone is a masterclass in ambiance, casting a warm, welcoming glow that makes both pets and their parents feel immediately at ease.
"We wanted to create a space that honored the past while serving the future," Shannon explains. "Art Deco represents a time when people believed in elegance, optimism, and moving forward boldly. That felt right for what we're trying to do in veterinary medicine."
The design isn't just beautiful. It's intentional. Every element serves a purpose, from the calming color palette that reduces patient stress to the brass fixtures that are both stunning and easy to sanitize. Form meets function in the most glamorous way possible.
DECO DETAILS THAT DAZZLE
Nova Vet's commitment to the Art Deco aesthetic goes beyond just paint and lighting. Walk through the clinic and you'll discover:
The Feature Wall: A stunning geometric wallpaper in the reception area that clients can't stop photographing. It's become Nova Vet's unofficial Instagram backdrop, and honestly, we get it. It's gorgeous.
Vintage-Inspired Furniture: Velvet seating in rich jewel tones paired with brass-legged tables that look like they came straight from a 1920s Parisian salon. Except these pieces are pet-friendly, stain-resistant, and built to withstand the reality of a busy veterinary practice.
The Lighting Fixtures: The masterpiece of light was carefully curated by Dan and Shannon with their designer Courtney Vincent from Vincent design and crafted by the amazing team at BuildIt.
The Exam Rooms: Each examination room features a different jewel-tone color story while maintaining the geometric Art Deco pattern language. It's cohesive without being repetitive, elegant without being intimidating. They are designed to be little living rooms so that pets feel more like home with the art deco inspiration and geometric washable carpets.
ELEVATING THE PERSPECTIVE
What makes Nova Vet's Design & Innovation Award particularly meaningful is that it was co-founded by a veterinary technologist . Shannon's perspective shaped every aspect of the clinic's design, from workflow efficiency to patient comfort to team wellbeing.
"Technologist are on the floor every single day," Shannon emphasizes. "We know what works and what doesn't. We know where the workflow gets jammed up, where stress builds, where small design choices make big differences. This clinic is proof that technologist input isn't just valuable. It's essential."
The treatment areas feature intuitive layouts that minimize steps and maximize efficiency. The surgical suite balances Art Deco elegance with cutting-edge medical functionality. Even the back area got the full design treatment, because Shannon believes that teams who feel valued in beautiful spaces provide better care.
"We don't leave beauty at the lobby doors," she says. "Every space in this clinic, including the ones clients never see, got the same level of attention and care."
FROM VETIQUE TO NOVA VET: A LEGACY OF DESIGN EXCELLENCE
The fact that Dr. Jessica Trice will be presenting the 2026 Design & Innovation Award to Shannon at WVC Vegas creates a beautiful full-circle moment. Dr. Trice's Vetique Chicago won the award in 2023 for its luxury veterinary experience complete with chandeliers, a wine bar, and gold sparkle epoxy floors that remind everyone to never let anyone dull their sparkle.
Now, three years later, Nova Vet is carrying that torch forward with Art Deco elegance.
"When I heard that Dr. Trice would be presenting the award, I actually got emotional," Shannon admits. "Vetique was one of the clinics that inspired us to think bigger about design. Seeing what she and Dr. Remnes built showed us that beautiful veterinary spaces aren't just possible, they're the future. To have her recognize our work? That means everything."
The connection between the two award-winning clinics goes beyond aesthetics. Both prove that investing in design isn't frivolous. It's strategic. Both demonstrate that clients respond to environments that honor their pets. And both are led by women who refused to accept that veterinary clinics had to look a certain way.
"Vetique paved the way for what we're doing," Shannon says. "She showed the industry that luxury and veterinary medicine can coexist. We're honored to follow in those footsteps with our own Art Deco twist."
WHY THIS AWARD MATTERS
Vet Candy's Design & Innovation Award celebrates veterinary professionals who refuse to accept "that's how it's always been done" as a valid answer. Nova Vet embodies that spirit completely.
"Nova Vet represents everything we champion at Vet Candy," says Dr. Jill Lopez, CEO of Vet Candy. "Shannon and Dr. McClair didn't just create a beautiful clinic. They challenged the entire industry to reimagine what's possible when you combine exceptional veterinary medicine with intentional, thoughtful design. Nova Vet is setting a new standard, and we're thrilled to recognize that leadership with our 2026 Design & Innovation Award."
The clinic proves that:
Veterinary medicine can be elevated without being elitist
Beautiful design isn't frivolous; it's strategic
Clients respond to environments that honor their pets
Teams thrive in spaces that value aesthetics alongside function
Tradition and innovation aren't opposites; they're dance partners
"When we started planning Nova Vet, people told us we were crazy," Dr. Dan admits. "They said pet owners don't care about a beautiful setting. They said we should focus on being 'clinicall,' which apparently meant boring. They said veterinary clinics are supposed to look plain, not glamorous."
He pauses and smiles.
"We're so glad we didn't listen."
THE RIPPLE EFFECT
Since opening, Nova Vet has become more than just a veterinary clinic. It's become a destination. Clients drive extra miles to bring their pets here. Other veterinary professionals have been requesting tours to understand how the design impacts operations.
"We're getting messages from veterinarians across the US and Canada asking about our design choices," Shannon says. "People want to know if it's really worth investing in beauty. And the answer is absolutely yes. Our client feedback is incredible. Our team loves coming to work. Our patients are calmer in this environment. Beauty isn't separate from quality care. It enhances it."
The 2026 Design & Innovation Award validates what the Nova Vet team believed from the beginning: veterinary medicine deserves spaces as special as the work being done inside them.
THE WVC VEGAS MOMENT
Shannon is already planning what she'll wear to accept the award at WVC Vegas (spoiler: her signature pearls will absolutely be involved). But more than the ceremony itself, she's excited about what the moment represents.
"Accepting this award from Dr. Trice at WVC Vegas, feels like veterinary medicine officially embracing the idea that design matters," Shannon reflects. "It's not just two clinics doing something different anymore. It's a movement."
She's also looking forward to connecting with other veterinary professionals who are thinking about redesigning their spaces or opening new clinics with bold design visions.
"If Nova Vet and Vetique can inspire even one practice to invest in beauty, to think outside the traditional clinic box, to create spaces that honor both excellent medicine and excellent design, then this award has done its job," Shannon says.
THE NOVA LEGACY
As Nova Vet prepares to accept Vet Candy's 2026 Design & Innovation Award at WVC Vegas, one thing is crystal clear: this clinic isn't just about pretty walls and brass fixtures. It's about reimagining what veterinary medicine can look like, feel like, and be.
It's about honoring the past (hello, 1920s glamour) while building the future (world-class veterinary care).
It's about creating spaces where pets feel safe, clients feel valued, and teams feel inspired.
It's about proving that veterinary medicine doesn't have to choose between excellent and beautiful. It can be both.
And it's about a dachshund named Nova who inspired her human to dream bigger, build bolder, and never let anyone dull her sparkle.
Congratulations, Nova Vet. This award is as timeless and elegant as your Art Deco design.
Now if you'll excuse us, we're booking a flight to Alberta. We need to see those geometric pattens in person.
And we'll see Shannon and Dr. Dan at WVC Vegas when they accepts their award from Dr. Trice. Something tells us it's going to be a moment the veterinary design world won't forget.
Want to see more of NovaVet's award-winning design? Follow @myvetcandy for exclusive behind-the-scenes content from WVC Vegas 2026, including Shannon Gervais accepting the Design & Innovation Award from Dr. Jessica Trice. And if you're a veterinary professional thinking about reimagining your clinic's design, let NovaVet's story be your inspiration. Beautiful is possible. Brilliant is achievable. And Art Deco veterinary clinics? They're absolutely having a moment.
