DIY Play Kitchen

Remember this guy?   

Over the past two weeks I have been diligently working to make this tv cabinet that I purchased at a furniture resale store into the {this is my bias coming out folks} cutest play kitchen of all time!  We had been planning on purchasing a play kitchen all finished, but my discriminating taste kicked in.  The plastic kitchens are fine, but lets be honest they aren't the prettiest things ever.  This is going to be in our kitchen for a few years, and I want it to look good.  So on to the wood kitchens.  Ugh, most are pink and for girls.  REALLY?!  I'm sorry, but boys like to get into cabinets and bang the pots and pans around too!

After being inspired by the wood kitchens my exact statement to hubby was "oh, I could make one of those.  It would be cuter too!".  So off to Goodwill, Salvation Army, Antique Square, and finally a furniture resale store with that little guy for $15.  Done and Done!

Step 1:  This piece of furniture was a laminate tv cabinet.  I knew in order to make it last with a destructive little guy I was going to have to do some good prep work.  Before painting, the cabinet was transported over to a good friends home where I conned the hole for the sink was cut out.  The cabinet was sanded all over, primed, sanded, painted, sanded, painted two more times and two good coats of polyurethane were added {do NOT skip this step, it really makes everything so much more durable for persons who aren't careful i.e. children}.  I already had all of the paint in the garage, which determined the color scheme.

Step 2:  Anything that was going to have a silver base coat got spray painted {sorry for the pictures, most were done at night in the garage}.

Step 3:  Two coats of chalkboard paint were directly applied to the laminate side.  Using a tip from the brilliant Janell over at  Isabella & Max Rooms, chalk was applied to the entire side after it had dried and then erased.   It really does help not getting a lasting image of previous drawings on it.  

Step 4:  Using some scrap wood we had in the garage a frame was made to go around the chalkboard wall.  I put it together and painted it prior to attaching it to the cabinet so that I wouldn't have to trim it out at all.  Then I just touched up the areas where the nails were covered.

Step 5:  After searching for a faucet to use, I decided to not invest the $30+ price tag of an actual faucet and become inventive.  I found this little "J-trap" in the plumbing isle.  It came with that base/washer.  After spraying it with a good coat of silver paint, a metal washer was dropped into the base and screwed into the cabinet.  The actual "J-trap" was then screwed onto the base.  Not only does this allow for durability, but the "faucet head" is able to turn like a real faucet would.

Step 6:  Actually this came after the base coats of paint, but prior to the polyurethane.  Black paint was applied to create the "stove top".  

Step 7:  Holes were drilled for the knobs being used as faucet handles as well as stove knobs. 

Step 8:  I found some scrap fabric at Hobby Lobby that coordinated with the colors of paint I was using {I didn't purchase any new paint, but used what I already had in the garage}.  Using stitch witchery I made a no sew curtain to the opening size.

Step 9:  The only type of curtain rod that I could find to fit this opening was a tension rod.  I know my son, and this would become a fun game to tear that curtain off.  Instead I cut down a dowel rod to slightly smaller than the opening.  I drilled small holes into the center of each end on the dowel rod.  Holes were then drilled through the cabinet so that a screw could attach the dowel rod to the side of the cabinet {fabric was already on rod before being hung}.

Step 10:  I drew an outline on the cabinet doors of what I wanted it to look like {this came in handy, because I didn't like how the oven and microwave were and repainted them}.  Then the appropriate paint colors were added.  Finally, a few stickers were attached for the fridge "big chill" logo and the microwaves buttons.

Step 11:  Pretty it up - All of the accessories that made his kitchen extra unique were added including {to hubby's dismay} all 95 pieces of food.  I really liked that "F" hood, but if I had it to do again I would get a shorter hook.

Adding up the Cost:

cabinet - $15

supplies - $9.65

knobs - $12.36

replacement of broken knob - $3.99

fabric - $3.67

storage - $7.99

accessories - $22.98

Total - Priceless $75.74

and drum roll please...

Alright, before I let you all get back to your lives here are some pictures of the little man playing in his kitchen all.day.long!

{I know his outfit doesn't match, it was early on Christmas morning and we had to grab a sweater to keep the little guy warm!}