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My son's kitchen is nicer than my own. It was one heck of a remodel. Here's the before:
Jason transformed two IKEA nightstands destined for the curb into this:
A modern, masculine play kitchen that boasts stainless steel appliances and a mosaic tile back splash.
And now for the DIY details. . .
The sink side did not take much. A hole was cut for the sink (a dog bowl) and the faucet (rescued from a plumbing job).
The top drawer was notched so that it could still function as storage. The bottom drawer is an under counter refrigerator. A coat of white paint was the finishing touch.
The stove side required more work.
Jason made the oven door from two pieces of plywood with a piece of plexi glass sandwiched between. The door is attached with chest safety hinges. Two dowels hold up the oven rack (a baking cooling rack). A push light and black paint complete the look.
The bottom drawer was cut down to create a warming drawer. Stove controls (drawer pulls) and induction burners (black CD's) make for a sleek range. The stainless steel effect was achieved with contact paper.
Last but not least, the back splash. We had tile and grout left over from our bathroom remodel so we couldn't resist. Jason just used construction glue to attach the tile to a piece of plywood. After it was grouted, he attached it to the nighstands with brackets. The finishing touch was a rail from IKEA (an extra that I didn't end up using for Jude's art space).
So there you have it. A sleek kitchen all ready for imaginative play. I love that it used something we were going to throw out. And if you don't count your time (it doesn't count if you love doing it), it was a budget-friendly project, making the most of things we already had. I love that it isn't a big hunk of plastic. Most of all, I love that Jason made it, and Jude loves it.
And just in case you thought it always looked so orderly, or that it had its own large area, I present you with this picture. It is tucked cozily into the corner of our "dining room", so that he can cook along side mom. I'm pretty sure that's where he learned to make such a lovely mess while cooking.
Here's to creative gifts, designed for creative play.
