let's cook something

Awhile back we were renovating the church's nursery.  Our budget was small, but we wanted a nice play kitchen - one that would really hold up to heavy use.  I saw some ideas on Pinterest for turning an old entertainment unit into a play kitchen, and we thought we'd try it!

I found an old entertainment unit at a yard sale for $10.  It was solid particle board, and probably weighed 400 lbs!  It was really ugly, but seemed sturdy, so (with the help of 4 men) I brought it home.  Everyone from our Bible study group pitched in with labor, odds and ends of leftover paints, old hardware, etc.  A few minor changes in the shelving and doors and lots of paint later, we had a beautiful kitchen that the kids love to play with!  All for next to nothing!

I wish I had some before photos to share of the awful old cabinet, but never thought about it.  However, you've probably seen a hundred old entertainment units before.  And here are the finished photos!

 Everything you could want in a kitchen!

  We cut a hold in the particle board behind the sink and covered it with a poster, so the light would shine through like a real window.  Some baseboard around it looks like a window frame, and a curtain rod with curtains completes the picture.

 The "sink" is a basin from the dollar store, with an old faucet behind.  The cooktop and oven just took a little black paint, some old cabinet knobs and a handle, and a few cds for burners.  We switched the hinges on the oven door so it would open down, like a real oven.  A little magnet at the top keeps it up.

 A little shelf with pot holders hanging from it (Goodwill) and a phone add nice touches.

 fridge and freezer

 The unit orignally had cabinets on both sides with shelves.  the one on the left we removed, and use that little inset as a "broom closet", complete with apron, brush and dust pan, and vacuum.

 The other cabinet we kept for our pantry. 

And there's the completed project!