1.31.2014

DIY Play Kitchen

I have no idea why it has taken me so long to share this! When I started researching what we might get Elise for her "big" Christmas gift, I kept coming back to a kitchen. I knew that she would enjoy it and that it would be something that would grow with her. I knew right off the bat that I did not want plastic, so I started looking around at sturdier, wooden kitchens...and nearly fell over at the sticker shock.

So, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration, found a piece of furniture that we could modify and got the Rev on board to make her a kitchen. We used an old nightstand ($9) and cabinet door ($3) that we found at The Habitat Restore, some scrap wood, and hardware to make up the rest. Here is a before similar to what we used (I forgot to take a pic before we started hacking it up!) and some in progress pictures.


The Rev had to cut the drawer front away and add hinges so that it would function as an oven space, attach the cabinet door to the back and use scrap wood to add the little shelf, cut a hole for the sink ($1 cake pan), cut an oven door that we used plexiglass to make appear as an oven window, add the knobs ($1) (he used washers so that Elise can turn them), add a cabinet pull ($2.50) to use as a towel holder, and a coat hook ($3) to serve as a faucet. I painted it and added some small bottles for spices (IKEA), a fabric curtain, painted on burners, a cookie sheet message board, and some Etsy artwork to finish it out. I'd say for supplies, paint, and accessories, we came in at about $60.

And here is the after, complete with soft food from IKEA and colorful dishes that I found on Amazon. Those all store neatly in the skirted area of the kitchen, when Elise isn't playing with them.


We were really pleased with the results and just tickled when she walked right up to it on Christmas morning, put her little hands under the faucet and started washing! She has to stretch a little to reach the spices, but in another 3 months, she will be right up there with it, as she grows. Up next, felt desserts to add into the mix for her Valentine's gift!

3 comments:

Sarah Shumate said...

Whoa! I've never seen anyone make their own of these - good job! It looks perfect! Lexie had one of those Fisher Price plastic ones, but this is SO MUCH BETTER!

Emmy said...

That is so so cute!! I have seen people use entertainment centers to make bigger ones, but I love the scale and size, Seriously awesome job!

Emily said...

That's so cool. Wish my DSIL can be creative!