Play Kitchen

BEFORE
Laying out supplies to sit allows time for visualizing before making the cuts.
Wooden salt & pepper shakers (replaced by porcelain knobs), as well as wooden planter box, not incorporated into final design.

AFTER
Considered the 'front' of the kitchen, or the 'back' to avoid any spats!

The backside serves as a fridge or cupboard, plus the sink & faucet.
Making a two-sided kitchen allows for more than one chef to participate.
One end of the kitchen can sit flush against a wall.

Auntie & Uncle sent GreenToys pots and pans for Olivia's first birthday. Love the green and blue, that match the kitchen curtain!

Everything plus the kitchen sink! Daddy carefully cut the hole for the silver bowl sink.

I admit.
My projects meant to entertain my daughter are actually a way for me to live my childhood vicariously over! Is there really harm in that?
Enjoying childhood with your child?
As long as it does not involve some scary Tots in Tiara's, I think I am good to go;)

THE PLAY KITCHEN IS COMPLETE!
It has taken nearly a year and not much money at all, but the play kitchen is pretty much complete thanks to Good Old Gramps sending on over a nice set of silver hinges, Auntie & Uncles Green Toys pots and pans set, Daddy's master craftsmen cutting and the fabulous guys around the block who make all the cuts with no clue what is to become of the wood.

IKEA cannot be forgotten in this list of helpers!
We bought their white porcelain knobs for the burner controls and oven handle, their white tea towels with red stripe (cut in half and re-sewn), the fabulous flowery curtain cloth and the 99RMB Rast Bedside table (times two).

Other than the hinges, which we could NOT find in Shanghai and had to ask Gramps to send from Canada, the other tricky purchase was the faucet. We considered using something that could serve as a faucet (a wooden cane top etc.) but still could not find something suitable and in the price range we hoped. Kitchen faucets are very pricey and the majority were too long-necked to be considered anyway. We lucked out to find a 25RMB faucet, perfect size at the mom and pop Chinese shop around the corner, who sell wood and other building material odds and sods. The one downfall is it is a single tap, instead of a separate hot and cold (could use as a teaching tool for children.)

The one element we are lacking is in fact, the elements.
I have toyed with a few options and want to keep the kitchen plastic-free. I bought some of IKEA's black coasters, but I am afraid that a certain small person in the house {note; it is not me!} likes to pick and chew things until they are unrecognizable. There is the possibility of painting on stove elements, but for now I am waiting for the perfect inspiration.
Feel free to forward any ideas!