Okay, I can't take credit for this idea, but its so fantastic it had to be shared! This is perfect for parents, grandparents, home daycare providers, etc who:
1) have children who like to pretend
2) hate junky plastic toys that fall apart
3) hate the way kids toys never match anyone's decor
4) are on a budget
5) appreciate repurposing old items
So here are the basic instructions:
1. Take off cabinet doors. Remove hardware. Cover with silver contact paper ($10 Home Depot). Put one handle back in original place (refrigerator) and the other across the top of the door horizontally (oven). Reattach to unit. You now have two stainless steel appliances!
2. Where the TV would sit, on the far left, cut a hole slightly smaller than a silver mixing bowl ( $2 Walmart). A jigsaw works well for this. Behind the large hole, screw in a cheap faucet ($15 Walmart / Home Depot/ Habitat for Humanity). Put your bowl in place and you now have a sink!
3. Stove: Cover the stovetop area with more silver contact paper. You can simply paint on the burners (black) or screw in something round. This person used painted plastic lids from sour cream and cottage cheese containers. Home improvement stores sell stove replacement knobs for around $15. Screw these in with a few added washers and they will be “functional/turnable.” Or just glue on for looks.
4. Remove the backing to the entertainment center. Cover with patterned contact paper/wallpaper ($3 Walmart). If the backing is ruined or missing, simply buy a thin sheet of plywood and cover that. Home Depot will cut this wood to your measurements. Then reattach to the back of the unit. Not shown in pictures- it might also be fun to paint this with chalkboard paint!
5. Add your children’s kitchen toys and accessories: food, cups, plates, pans, silverware, dishtowels, oven mitts, teapot, telephone, etc. Add a few baskets for storage of these items.
If you already had the entertainment center sitting in your basement or garage, this project cost less than $50 and will be way more durable and nicer looking than the yucky plastic primary color things they sell at the toy stores!
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