this is the little play kitchen I made for my kids for Christmas (they are 3 years old and almost 2 years old). It was my first project.
My husband has been interested in woodworking for a while and owns some tools. We watched a lot of the new yankee workshop videos together. I received the homebuilt home last Christmas and didn't get a chance to use it until this November!
I was so happy to read how Ana White and other wood workers did some projects only a couple hours a day after the kids went to bed.
It was a little bit challenging at time and I made many beginners' errors. I also adapted the plan to fit the 2 shelves I had as leftovers from my husband's last project. (We live in France and DIY material is relatively expensive). I also wanted them to have both the oven and the sink but we didn't have enough space to put 2 kitchen modules so i added a divider in the middle of the top shelf and attached it with cleats to the countertop.
I could not find any bowl with a lip to do the sink so I used an ice cream container! and the tap is a real one because it was somehow cheaper than getting a garden tap or a fake/toy one!
I took me about 3 weeks to complete because I could go only a couple hours at a time, sometimes less after the kids were in bed, and being pregnant makes me seriously slower in decision making and acting!
I kept it as a surprise for both my kids and my husband on christmas morning. I'm really happy with the result. Like the book said, it is not perfect and I can see many little mishaps, but it's my first project and I cherish it.
Estimated Cost
50€ (probably less in the US)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
toy!
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project