Kitchen Barn designer receives Star Design awards

Look for Ramona resident Jessica Ford in an upcoming issue of San Diego Home Garden Lifestyles magazine.

Ford, a designer at Tracy and Matt Taft’s Kitchen Barn, won two awards at the National Kitchen and Bath Association Star Design Awards competition this month at the Admiral Baker Golf Course in San Diego: Best Student Kitchen and Best Student Bath.

The competition was based on an actual client in Nebraska. The students received an existing floor plan of the areas to be remodeled, and the homeowners provided details about their lifestyle and things they wanted to see in the kitchen and bath remodel.

All entries into the competition had to meet specific NKBA Planning and Access Guidelines, which are the building code requirements for safe and effective recommendations for kitchen and bath areas, explained Ford.

“Jessica had to submit hand-drafted floor plans with dimensions and specifications for all fixtures, appliances and materials as well as perspective drawings and material boards showing samples of the materials utilized in both the kitchen and bathroom,” said Tracy Taft.

At the awards ceremony, Ford displayed two concept boards showing the inspiration and materials used for each of the designs. As a winner for these projects, her work will be published in a San Diego Home Garden Lifestyles magazine this fall.

During the awards gala, Ford received the two awards. Each category was judged by a panel of practicing kitchen and bath designers in the NKBA.

In addition, she received $500 for winning both categories.

After earning her Associate in Science Degree in Interior Design at San Diego Mesa College, Ford returned to the college to take the Advanced Kitchen and Bath Design class taught by certified kitchen and bath designer Helene Lindquist.

The Tafts opened Kitchen Barn at 780 Main St., Suite G, three years ago. In addition to their showroom and design work, Kitchen Barn has provided a venue for cooking demonstrations and fundraisers. Among upcoming benefits are a student fundraiser for the Ramona High School Culinary arts program at 6 p.m. on Nov. 6 and a student fundraiser for the RHS marching band on Dec. 4, also at 6 p.m.

Kitchen Barn also has been the site of several fundraisers for the 2013 Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk in November.