DIY Play Kitchen – Who Needs Pottery Barn?

by Brittany on October 26, 2009

in DIY, Dress Up, Play, Toys

littlelittleIMG_6736

Sophia's Retro Play Kitchen

Monday is DIY day in bloggy land and this might be my proudest achievement to date.  It is certainly the one that has brought the most joy!

My daughter has always loved play kitchens.  She finds hours of fun in making dinners, having tea parties and washing dishes.  I think it is just precious.  Now my son plays too.  My heart melts.

When we go to the mall and “play” at Pottery Barn Kids, we spend at least 30 minutes with the play kitchen (and another 30 with a vanity – next project!) every time.  I think all of their little kitchens are to die for.  Having said that, my husband would actually die if I was ever to purchase one of these kitchen sets.  Currently the cost for a 3 piece kitchen starts at $450 and runs up to a whopping $879!  This does not include a 10% delivery and processing fee!

Here was the look I was going for from Pottery Barn.

Pottery Barn Kitchen

PB Retro Kitchen

So, I searched the web, found some wood and decided to build her a large kitchen of her dreams!  I happened to have had an old closet that had tile in it from before we moved the laundry area so she also has a white tile floor and a WORKING SINK!  We love this kitchen and we build it for a total cost of less than $150!  Pretty good wouldn’t you say?

Here is where I started.  I found a set of plans for a wood play kitchen at Lowe’s.com.  The plans were cute and I followed the dimensions but rather than fake on the sink parts and stove knobs I found the real thing for this kitchen.   I also built a drawer for below the stove to store pots and pans!  The shelves in all of the pieces are closet shelving.  The handles were a bit expensive at $20 all together but they were scratched or they would have been a lot more.  I think they really add something cute and retro feeling!  I also installed a little white shelf in the extra space to hold silverware and pantry items.  The paint was a can of red oops! for $5.  It is a little brighter than the perfect red but man is it close!

We have so much fun with this!  I found bins at Target to store dress up and other toys in cute khaki and red above the kitchen so that all the imagination fun mess would be contained in the closet and the kids would need to ask before we play with this!

Here is where I started after I cut my furniture grade plywood found on clearance!

A Long Way to Go

A Long Way to Go

Here is the basic box assembly of the sink.  All of the pieces follow the same simple assembly pattern.  After I did one with hammer and nails I got out the nail gun but it is possible with just a hammer!

littlelittleIMG_1603

The Basic Box

Without Further Ado – The Inside of the Oven.  The bare wood showing is from changing the door to open to the side inside of opening down.  Safety first!
Little Oven

Little Oven

A Working Sink!  We love to wash our hands here and have tea parties with water.  No problem – it is just water!  I can trun off the valve underneath when I am not around so the kids can play and stay dry!  Can you see the water?  It’s on!
Working Little Sink

Working Little Sink

Working Plumbing

Working Plumbing

 The Fridge fits everything!  I love that I can keep all the food in the bins it came in.  It’s easy to clean up and easy to transport to the table for “parties” or cooking school!

Little Fridge

Little Fridge

From Yucky…
Old Laundry Closet

Old Laundry Closet

To So Yummy!
Little Kitchen in the Closet

Little Kitchen in the Closet

Good Luck and Enjoy!  Please feel free to email me questions!  Some of the instructions were a little confusing.  You could easily make one larger piece if you had less space and combine the kitchen elements too.  While this project took me a while to complete, I think it was totally worth it in the end!  I now have a WOOD kitchen that I can always change the look of with some paint and hardware and that fits my dimensions exactly.  The PB ones are made of MDF and while they do have some super cute accessories (which I could have figured out but chose not to) I think this little kitchen looks good enough to eat in!
I am linking up to Kimba’s DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land.  Check out all the awesome projects that link up here every week!
kimbaDIY

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{ 2 trackbacks }

DIY Play Kitchen – Who Needs Pottery Barn? | kitchensolvers
October 27, 2009 at 1:16 am
DIY Play Kitchen – Who Needs Pottery Barn? | WetSalad --- Why have the normal?
November 7, 2009 at 2:03 am

{ 79 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Shannon October 29, 2009 at 1:15 pm

I came here from A Soft Place….this is AWESOME! I am loving the sink, who would have thunk? A real sink?! And the red is so cool, just like the PB one. Great job! If I were a kid I think I would even want to sleep in there!

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2 Angela October 29, 2009 at 2:04 pm

You rock! I have done many diy projects but none have turned out as awesome as this!! What a great job you did!
Angela´s last blog ..Ipsos Survey looking for mothers with young children My ComLuv Profile

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3 Jaimie October 29, 2009 at 2:06 pm

WOW! is all I have to say! Talk about super moms!
Jaimie´s last blog ..Halloween at the Zoo #2! My ComLuv Profile

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4 Catie October 29, 2009 at 3:19 pm

All I can say is “Wow.” What a lucky, lucky little girl! :) You go!

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5 NathanRising October 29, 2009 at 3:54 pm

Whoa that is WAY TOO FREAKING COOL!
-Jen
NathanRising´s last blog ..Man Knowingly Spread HIV My ComLuv Profile

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6 anh October 29, 2009 at 4:52 pm

your daughter is soooo lucky! looks great. even better than PB!
anh´s last blog ..Jeepers Creepers My ComLuv Profile

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7 Someday Crafts October 29, 2009 at 5:12 pm

That totally rocks! My daughter wishes she had a mommy like you!!!!
Someday Crafts´s last blog ..All-Season Shirred Top My ComLuv Profile

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8 Donna October 29, 2009 at 5:14 pm

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

I’m going to have to show my husband so he can get to work! :)

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9 Jane October 29, 2009 at 5:47 pm

My mouth was agape by the time I got to the end of this post! That is out of this world awesome! Boy, my kids sure wish I had your talent!
Jane´s last blog ..What To Do When You’re At A Loss For Words? Play Around With Google, Of Course! My ComLuv Profile

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10 tania October 29, 2009 at 10:30 pm

love this idea….my daughter would be in heaven if I were that talented!!!! Great job!!!
tania ´s last blog ..Boy Time Flies!!! My ComLuv Profile

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11 Heather October 30, 2009 at 12:33 am

thank you thank you thank you for posting this and letting me know this is available!! I’ve never been in Pottery Barn Kids, but I have a LOVE for all things play. I was recently talking to my hubs telling him we HAD to find that Kitchen playset that I had as a child by Fisher-Price with the telephone, sink, dish drying rack, stove, table & coffee pot. :) this makes my day.

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12 Claire McFee October 30, 2009 at 1:57 am

Yep, followed when I made the comment. :)
Claire

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13 Laura October 30, 2009 at 10:30 am

Wow! Thank you so much for that one! We want to get our 2-yr-old a play kitchen for Christmas!

I saw you on MBC!

Have a super day!
Laura´s last blog ..Never Leave the House Without a Bra My ComLuv Profile

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14 Jan October 30, 2009 at 11:17 am

Brittany is a very lucky little girl. What a beautiful play kitchen. What fun she will have! I love it!
Jan´s last blog ..Cottage Color Continuity My ComLuv Profile

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15 Metropolitan Mum October 30, 2009 at 5:19 pm

I am absolutely speechless. Well done!!!
Metropolitan Mum´s last blog ..Royal Mail strike – going nowhere pretty fast My ComLuv Profile

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16 Sandra October 30, 2009 at 11:34 pm

What an amazing job you did! Love it!!
Sandra´s last blog ..Works for me Wednesday, muffins. My ComLuv Profile

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17 Tanya October 31, 2009 at 6:09 pm

These are so cute. I’ll be glad when my Gran daughter
is big enough to play with something like this. Btw this
Tee from the GrabBag! I have a award for you on my
blog! Come and accept it Please! Thanks!

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Brittany Reply:

Oooh an award thanks! I am hopping over now!

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18 Mama Kat October 31, 2009 at 6:33 pm

WOW!! I love the working sink!! Your daughter must be in heaven with that kitchen!
Mama Kat´s last blog ..I WANT To Give Away A Flip Today My ComLuv Profile

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19 Zen Mom October 31, 2009 at 6:41 pm

OK, I am thoroughly impressed. I’ve embarked on many a project myself, only to have them end up still a pile of wood in the garage years later. But, your’s looks absolutely wonderful!

Thanks so much for the award. I’m glad you like my blog.
Zen Mom´s last blog ..Halloween Wonderland My ComLuv Profile

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20 Molly November 1, 2009 at 9:13 am

that is AMAZING, even better than Pottery Barn!

Wanted to check in and see how you’re feeling!!!
Molly´s last blog ..Get Active is finished, but I’ll stay active My ComLuv Profile

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21 Victoria November 1, 2009 at 10:58 am

This play kitchen looks fabulous! Good thinking. -Victoria from MBC

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22 Lua November 1, 2009 at 8:35 pm

Thanks for following me :) I am too! I love this post! You did an amazing job! I made my own Halloween costume this year, and I have NEVER been creative. You are talented!!
Lua´s last blog ..Help Me & Get Rewarded! My ComLuv Profile

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23 Eve November 3, 2009 at 6:14 am

Holy….

Girl, this is shocking. You know how like every Mothers wishes she could be supermom?… YOU SHOULD LEAD US. Seriously though, My Husband is a handi man (my trade as well) and I can’t imagine him doing anything close to that. Beautiful! Hope you don’t mind when I direct him to your blog. :)

Can I move in with you for a month and you can show me your ways and make me creative and handy?
Eve´s last blog ..A cry for help My ComLuv Profile

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24 Amber November 3, 2009 at 7:40 pm

Fabulous! I’m impressed that the sink actually works. I’m also impressed that you built it yourself! Love the red color you chose. I’m sure your kids will continue to get hours and hours of fun out of their new kitchen!

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25 Loukia November 3, 2009 at 11:58 pm

OH MY GOD you are brilliant! I love it!!!!
Loukia´s last blog ..Everything you wanted to know about you-know-what but were afraid to ask My ComLuv Profile

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26 Zandi November 4, 2009 at 6:27 pm

holy freaking cow!!! thats awesome. But then again so are you.
Zandi´s last blog ..We’re home from home. My ComLuv Profile

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27 Cristy November 6, 2009 at 1:01 pm

LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am totally going to figure out a way to do this (w/o the working sink… there isn’t a good place for one in our house) I was just looking at my pb kids catalog and thinking “that could be made for soooooo much cheaper”

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Brittany Reply:

Thanks and good luck! Let me know if you have any questions!

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28 Keri R. January 14, 2010 at 2:25 pm

Do you by any chance have those plans saved to your computer? I clicked on the link to Lowes but they dont have the plans posted anymore. :( If you do I would love for you to email them to me! Thanks so much! Your play kitchen is awesome!

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Brittany Reply:

I found a link to a very similar play kitchen on Lowe’s. I actually like the fridge better but I would still round some of the edges as I think it gives it a sort of retro look! http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Kids_Kitchen_Set_Refrigerator_0709.aspx

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29 Janet February 8, 2010 at 12:24 pm

Do you happen to still have the plans? I absolutely LOVE this idea and am hoping my husband and I can make one for our daughter, but it looks like Lowes no longer has this up on their website.

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Brittany Reply:

I found a link to a very similar play kitchen on Lowe’s. I actually like the fridge better but I would still round some of the edges as I think it gives it a sort of retro look! http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Kids_Kitchen_Set_Refrigerator_0709.aspx

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