How We Turned One Cabinet into a Charming DIY Play Kitchen

We did it — and just in time for Christmas. A few days before the holiday we started a secret project to turn an old cabinet into a play kitchen for Clara. We finished it on Christmas Eve. The goal was to keep costs low (under $99, which is the price of a basic store-bought play kitchen) while adding real details: working oven knobs, an oven light, a wire rack inside the oven, and a movable faucet. In the end the project cost $74 and gave us a custom, durable play kitchen Clara adores.

Our starting point was a secondhand kitchen cabinet we already owned, originally purchased for another project. It measured only 15 inches high, so we built a small base from a 1×4 scrap to raise it and mimic a typical base cabinet with a toe kick. A spare 1×12 board and another leftover plank became the counter and low backsplash once we cut them to size.

Next we created the sink area. A visit to the ReStore yielded a real faucet and handle for $10. We paired that with a stainless steel bowl from Target for $7. After tracing the bowl’s lip, a jigsaw cut the hole in the counter and cabinet top so the bowl could drop in and rest on the edge. We sanded the cut edges and trimmed the faucet supply tubing so it wouldn’t clutter the space beneath the counter. The faucet and handle were then secured to the underside of the counter.

With the sink and counter attached the project began to look like a real play kitchen. We converted one cabinet door into an oven by installing inexpensive fence hinges so it could open downward. To give the oven a viewing window we found a small pre-cut sheet of plexiglass and trimmed the opening in the door. When the cut wasn’t perfectly straight we made a thin craft-wood frame to conceal the edges and create a clean finished look.

We made functional knobs by using small wooden discs drilled through for bolts and washers. A pocket created by a Kreg Jig pilot bit allowed the nut to sit flush on the back of the oven door so the door would close properly and the fasteners wouldn’t spin while tightening. The assembled knobs and little arrow indicators were painted later.

We primed and painted the whole piece in the sunroom after Clara was asleep. For the paint we used leftovers: the counter color is the same as our kitchen wall color (Sesame by Benjamin Moore) and the base is a satin white used elsewhere in our home. The oven interior was painted medium gray with a leftover test pot, which helps define that compartment. The pantry interior was painted to match the top color for continuity.

Inside the oven we attached a simple tap light with heavy duty Velcro so Clara can press it to “turn the oven on.” A black wire sink drying tray purchased at Target serves as an oven rack and adds authenticity. We secured the plexiglass to the back of the oven door with clear silicone caulk, invisible from the front thanks to the little frame.

We added a small shelf inside the sink-side cabinet so her play food doesn’t disappear into one cavernous space. We skipped a full stovetop to preserve counter space for mixing and setting out dishes, though we did make a single “hot plate” by attaching a trivet to a painted craft wood round for a playful burner Clara can use to “fry” sandwiches.

Finishing hardware includes three small chrome handles—one serves as a towel bar on the sink side. The oven knobs were spray-painted with leftover metallic paint so they gleam a bit and feel special. Little design touches like the towel bar, wire rack, and spin-able knobs were the ideas we brainstormed while walking with Clara and our dog; those details help make the kitchen interactive and fun.

Budget Breakdown

• Secondhand cabinet (ReStore): $14
• Secondhand faucet & handle (ReStore): $10
• Stainless sink bowl (Target): $7
• Oven knobs and craft-frame materials: $5
• Hinges for oven door (Home improvement store): $3
• Pre-cut plexiglass and trim: $4
• Wire oven shelf (Target): $5
• Tap light for oven: $2
• Wood for counter and toe-kick: $0 (scrap; estimated $15 if purchased)
• Trivet and wood round for hot plate: $9
• Three hardware handles for oven, cabinet, and towel bar: $15
• Primer and paint: $0 (leftovers; otherwise a few small testers)
• Miscellaneous play pantry items and play toaster: gifts, not included in cost
• Total project cost: $74

Since the reveal, the play kitchen has been in constant use. Stuffed animals get bathed, pretend sandwiches are fried, boxes of play cereal and crackers go into the oven, and cars or trains sometimes live in the pantry. It’s become a dedicated little Clara zone adjacent to our living area, and the extra personality and thoughtful details have made it feel handcrafted and durable.

Working on Clara’s desk and this play kitchen reminded us how fun designing simple, affordable kid-sized furniture can be. It’s a creative outlet we enjoy and might explore more in the future. For now, seeing Clara play with something we made — and knowing it only cost $74 — is a holiday memory we’ll always treasure.