Upcycling a Toy Kitchen

So, for Christmas this year, our whole family got a really nasty case of stomach flu. Poor Townshend got it the worst.. he missed almost an entire week of school before we got to winter break, where it continued on for a little while longer. We opted to not carry this nasty bug to our family out on the West Coast (also to skip any unwelcome and contagious expulsions while on the plane heading out there) and stayed home to convalesce. This was a great disappointment to all.. however, it did afford me some time to work on my last diy gift of the season.

Way back in early 2016, when putting together the baby room for Moon, we got this cute little end table:

At the time, it was just what was wanted. However, in the years since, it got phased out and ultimately landed in the garage. I held on to it out of indecision - to use it elsewhere? - to get rid of it? Then, a few months before Christmas, as my mind was beginning to explore options for gifts for the kids, I noticed that the old sensory table that lived in our toy closet was starting to really fall apart (which is reasonable, it was made as a gift for Townshend's first birthday nearly 6yrs ago)...

Here it was then (look at that little guy!):

and more recently:

Upon really noticing the state of that old table, an idea began to form. The whole closet could use a face-lift and a reorganizing.... and Christmas seemed just the time to do it!

The table from Moon's room had been in the garage long enough that it had mostly faded from my memory. I'd decided that it'd be cool to get a little toy kitchen for the closet and started dreaming of possibilities for new layouts for the tiny space, but how would I find a toy kitchen small enough to fit in the closet?? Make it, of course! I started plotting and planning where to get a table.. even wondered if the one currently in there had any life left in it, when I remembered that we already had the perfect one, still in great condition, in the garage. It was like it was meant to be! I love it when I can use stuff-on-hand to make cool things.

So, I surfed through Pinterest for inspiration, borrowed a bit from here and there and drew up some plans:

This project was one that sat on the back burner the longest. With mailing deadlines for other gifts looming, it sort of stayed on the sidelines.. then we got sick. Still, amid all the chaos, slowly, there was incremental progress.

A little spray painting (way back while the weather was still nice):

Some stripes:

Chop a hole to drop in the sink (jigsaws are awesome!):

Cutting the curvy back panel for the stove (way harder to get a good curve than I'd thought) from wood left over from other projects:

And then, once the curve was sanded smooth and painted gray to match the stripes, it was put on, with a little extra lower-back support too:

Next, came some details on the drawer to make it look more "oven-y" and some burners on the top:

Once it was all dry, I put on a layer of spray-on enamel to seal in the paint (in hopes of it lasting a bit longer before wearing off), and then the assembly came together pretty quickly!

Then, on New Years Eve evening, Hubby and I cleaned out the old, busted-up table from the closet, swept up all the dust and whatnot.. and set up the new table inside. Boom! It looks so much better!

Then we wrapped the doorway so, on New Years Day, the boys came down to a surprise.

Might've been a little late, still...

...I'd say it was a hit.