Clara has had her play kitchen for over a year and a half, and she still plays with it nearly every day — a rare and delightful outcome when so many toys are discarded after only a short while. Play kitchens hold a special place in many families, and this particular one is extra meaningful because Casey and Phil built it themselves. They invested time, creativity, and leftover materials from home renovations to make a realistic, charming play stove and cabinets that their daughter Zoey adores. Below they outline their process and materials so other parents and makers can learn from their experience.
Like many of you, my husband Phil and I decided to build our daughter Zoey a play kitchen for Christmas. I designed it to echo our own kitchen cabinets, aiming for a realistic look with a fun colored stove. Phil is an excellent carpenter, so we constructed the whole unit from scratch using scrap lumber from our whole-house renovation and a piece of butcher block left over from our previous kitchen renovation.
We devoted a surprising amount of time to the project, but the final result made the effort worthwhile. The kitchen is sturdy, attractive, and full of thoughtful details that make it feel like a mini version of a real kitchen.
The cabinet construction was straightforward: we built simple cabinet boxes, attached face frames, and added paneled detail to the sides for a finished look. The doors were built separately and then hung after painting. The stove proved more complicated — we approached it in two main sections. The lower, painted portion forms one solid unit while the upper stainless-looking section forms the second unit. Attaching them together created a convincing stove profile.
One of the standout features is the dimmable burners. Phil wanted the burners to be adjustable, which ended up being the most costly part of the build, but the effect is worth it. Zoey loves the glow and the sense of realism it gives. For the top section, we sandwiched LED lighting between two thin layers of wood to hold it securely. We used a 6″ hole saw to create the circular openings where the coiled LED lighting shines through. The top panel was wrapped with stainless-look contact paper, and the lighting was covered with a piece of tinted plexiglass before mounting it onto the lower section.
Below is a concise list of materials and where we sourced them, included as a resource for anyone considering a similar build. Many items were repurposed or leftover materials, which helped keep costs down and added character.
- Cabinets: built from scrap wood salvaged from other home projects
- Countertops: leftover butcher block from a previous kitchen remodel (originally from Lumber Liquidators)
- Sink: small decorative sink purchased online
- Faucet: child-sized faucet purchased online
- Cabinet knobs: purchased at Target
- Cabinet paint color: Benjamin Moore Super White
- Stove paint color: Benjamin Moore Meadowlands Green
- Stove handle: sourced from Ikea
- Stove knobs: small knobs purchased online
- Timer: decorative timer purchased at Anthropologie
- “Stainless steel” contact paper: purchased at Home Depot
- Oven rack: sourced from a dollar store
- Flexible LED neon for burners: purchased from a specialty lighting supplier
- Light dimmers: purchased online
- Plexiglass for stovetop: sourced from an online marketplace
- Interior cabinet wallpaper: leftover from Zoey’s nursery, sourced from Wallpaper Direct
Overall, planning and patience were key to achieving a professional-looking play kitchen without the expense of a retail model. Reusing materials not only reduced costs but also gave the project a personal touch. The combination of painted cabinetry, a butcher block countertop, realistic hardware, and the illuminated burners created an engaging play center that encourages imaginative play and everyday role-playing. The attention to scale and finishes makes it familiar and inviting for a child learning about routines and household tasks.
It’s inspiring to see parents build custom, durable toys that reflect their own style and craftsmanship. Zoey is lucky to have such inventive and hands-on parents who clearly enjoyed the process as much as the result. Thanks to Casey and Phil for sharing the build details and material list — their approach offers practical ideas for anyone looking to create a meaningful, long-lasting play kitchen for a child.