I've seen so many IKEA DUKTIG Play Kitchen hacks lately so I decided to create something special for my own little. I love the way it turned out so I wanted to share my simple steps to putting your own spin on this ever-popular kids play kitchen. Scroll down for the deets!
Although I've seen some super elaborate and fantastic hacks on this subject, I wanted to keep my IKEA DUGTIG Play Kitchen remodel as simple as possible while still incorporating some details that go with the vintage boho style I adore. I also have a little girl so I thought this look would be a perfect look for her playroom.
This fun DIY project kitchen was actually modeled after a few things my someday dream kitchen will hopefully have: brass fixtures, a porcelain farmhouse sink, custom backsplash and of course...a butcher block countertop!
BEFORE
The original IKEA Play Kitchen is cute on it's own, but a little plain for our boho babe so I wanted to jazz it up a bit.
AFTER
I used Rust-Oleum metallic spray paint in their satin bronze finish for the hardware and fixtures, and then a flat white spray paint to match the existing white IKEA kitchen pieces - it worked out great! Be sure to apply several coats, wait in-between, and coat anything you paint with a sealant. My little has already been hard at work playing in her kitchen for a month and every time she bangs a pot into that tiny sink I'm thankful I had the foresight to seal it! I also painted the covers for the bottom of the kitchen in satin bronze to coordinate with the rest of the hardware.
The faucet is one of my favorites of the things I painted. I love the way the color turned out. And of course, I sealed the faucet too. The hardware I ordered from Amazon here, but if you wanted to keep costs down you could also use the satin bronze spray paint for those as well.
The stovetop trim, the thin rod above the counter, and the sink got a few coats of white (they were sealed too). Be sure to let each coat dry before applying another coat. The painting isn't hard, it's just tedious. Well worth the wait though - a paint can really transform something, can't it?
For the sink, I opted to under mount it to give it more of a polished look, like a real kitchen would have. It really made all the difference and I love this added touch! It was a simple look to achieve too. I drilled holes into the underside of the countertop and mounted the sink with screws.
The butcher block counterop is actually a self-adheisve paper. You can purchase the design I used on Amazon here, but I have seen many different options for refinishing the counters in this play kitchen. The sky is really the limit, and it's so easy to rework the counter to suit your style.
For the backsplash, I wanted to keep it simple but also incorporate a feminine boho vibe into the design so I went with this beautiful floral wall paper from Rifle Paper Co. I used tacky spray to glue the paper to a thick cardstock so it would hold up well with time, then I used a few small nails to hold it in place and nailed it into the corners of the backboard of the kitchen.
Finally, my super helpful and talented hubby used small wood discs to create little stove knobs - aren't they the cutest things ever?!! He cut a few of them in half and glued them to the whole pieces to mimic how a real stove knob would look, then we glued the finished pieces onto the face of the stove. So realistic and the perfect finishing touch to our little dream boho kitchen reno <3
I love the way our IKEA Play Kitchen Hack turned out, and I hope this inspires you to create your own version for the little cook in your life!
19 Comments
Apr 20, 2023, 4:11:11 PM
Laura - This is adorable! Can I ask where you got the refrigerator from?? And also have you had any problems with the paint chipping on the faucet or other plastic parts? Thanks!!
Apr 1, 2023, 11:14:36 AM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Cassie,
Thank you! This was a fun little project! So yes, with the contact paper, I got mine from Amazon, be sure to use wallpaper smoothing tool. You can use it with contact paper to squeeze out the bubbles and really apply it firmly to the surface or wall you're applying to. The corners are tricky so you might need to use an x-acto knife to cut smaller pieces when rounding, but other than that it's just patience! I found the pattern helps too. I used the woodgrain pattern that looks like butcher block vs. marble. I think marble shows more imperfections since it's white.
I hope that helps!
Mar 31, 2023, 11:42:23 PM
cassie - Hi, i love the kitchen! Curious I havent found anyone who used contact paper and also mounted the sink underneath. I wanted to use contact paper but was too nervous how it would look. yours looks flawless though... any tips?
Aug 1, 2021, 1:27:52 PM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Sara,
Thank you so much! Absolutely. The pots and pans set are from Amazon actually - easy shopping during the pandemic! https://amzn.to/2V5ZPKi
Jul 29, 2021, 11:00:23 PM
Sara - This is so beautiful! Would you mind sharing where you got the pots and pans?
Jul 15, 2021, 1:45:26 PM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Ashley! Thank you so much, she loves it! To seal the sink and faucet I used https://amzn.to/3kmLEuz - works great!
Jul 12, 2021, 6:05:46 PM
Ashley Sands - The kitchen is amazing! Starting a similar project. What did you use to seal the paint on the faucet and sink? It’s beautiful…you did an amazing job!
May 24, 2021, 9:43:53 AM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Emily! Of course! I actually got them on Amazon. This link will take you to the exact size I use. You’ll want to cut some in half and then glue that half to a whole one to make it look like a stove knob. I hope that makes sense! https://amzn.to/3ffxxnR
May 23, 2021, 10:35:47 PM
Emily - Do you mind sharing where you got the wooden discs from?
May 12, 2021, 1:38:10 PM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Kara! Aww yay! That makes me so happy to hear to help others get inspired! I love that Hape fridge. The cutest. I actually got those handles on Amazon! I’ve linked below. The handles are the same I used in the kitchen as well. I just ordered another set. They’re true kitchen hardware, ha! So you can also use them in a real kitchen. I told my husband it’s the dream kitchen I’ve wanted! You want the 3 3/4in Gold Champagne Pulls: https://amzn.to/3fhjhK3
I’d love to see your kitchen too! I can share on my Insta Stories! If y’all have any photos please feel free to email to rya@ryaphotos.com !
May 12, 2021, 1:32:29 PM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Emily! Thank you! So the mixer is from Le Toy Van - CUTE items. Love their stuff. LOVE. We have so many of their toys. Mixer Link: https://amzn.to/3tHMeEa
Link to their website, they might charge for shipping but Amazon doesn’t for prime members and they carry a lot of their items.
https://letoyvan.com/collections/wooden-role-play-toys
Then the wooden items are from plan toys (another great toy maker of wooden toys, they have the most beautiful dollhouse I’ve ever seen which we also have). https://amzn.to/33DrGlA
May 12, 2021, 9:20:02 AM
Kara Gordon - Hey Rya! Yours was my inspiration for my baby girl’s play kitchen remodel! Love this so much! Oddly enough, my mother in law purchased that same little Hape fridge, and I’m wondering where you found the gold handles/pulls for that since it’s a weird measurement. I found ones for the kitchen easily, but cannot for the life of me find any for the fridge!!
May 9, 2021, 6:35:23 PM
Emily Radin - This is so cute!! Would you mind sharing where all of the little accessories (eggs, mixer etc) are from?
Apr 14, 2021, 12:53:59 PM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Shana! Thank you so much! It was a fun little project. So I used a clear Krlyon sealer (you can get it on Amazon). In my opinion, the best one I've tried so far is Krylon K01309 Gallery Series Artist and Clear Coatings Aerosol. Good luck with your project!
Apr 12, 2021, 12:24:10 PM
Shana Good - Hi! I love what you did and I have recently ordered this kitchen. I'm super excited to put something together for our girl. Could you suggest to me what type of sealer I should be searching for ?
Jan 9, 2021, 1:57:50 PM
Rya Duncklee - Thank you so much! It's a personalized blanket from Etsy. The seller is dolcedreams. :)
Jan 7, 2021, 12:12:13 PM
Claire - This is so gorgeous! Where did you get the personalized blanket?
Jul 15, 2020, 12:59:06 PM
Rya Duncklee - Thank you so much! A fun project for sure, she loves it! So the fridge is a wood toy from shape Toys, purchased on Amazon. I swapped out the plastic handle that came with it for the same brass hardware I used in the kitchen to make it look like a set.
Jul 15, 2020, 12:49:23 PM
Michelle - Great job, it is so beautiful! Where did you buy the mini fridge?