before and after by Kate Pruitt 72

before & after: dining room + play kitchen


I love to see people using rooms for things other than their customary purpose. Corissa and Kris needed a place to dine, and since they have no space for a table in their kitchen, they decided to turn a spare bedroom into a dining room. For a “formal” dining room, this has a great casual style. I’ve been a little timid about painting my walls a dark color, but this is another example of how successful it can be. Great work, Corissa! — Kate

Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)


When I was little, I was obsessed with fake food. In one of our family albums, we have a photograph of me at age three, dancing with glee behind a small shopping cart of plastic food wares. I would be lying if I said that I’d completely outgrown this childhood love, and when I saw this adorable play kitchen from Amy, I had a very strong desire to break out my old shopping cart and regress for a few hours. Click here to read more about how Amy’s parents turned this old TV table into a lovely repurposed play kitchen for their granddaughter and Amy’s daughter, Milla. Thanks for sharing this with us, Amy!

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72 Comments

TSL

Nice transformation! (And the re-do of the television center to child’s wonderful kitchen ~must have been quite the surprise for the child. Love it.)

Cheryl

The entertainment unit turned child’s play kitchen is the cutest, creative project I have seen in awhile. What little girl or boy wouldn’t be thrilled with that? I know I would!

Chris B-P

Brilliant! With these types of cabinets going in the direction of CRT tv’s (extinct), what a great way to reuse them. I also wish I was a little girl again and had talented grandparents like Milla does to make this kitchen for me!

Peaches

Love the chalkboard wall…but oh golly, that kitchenette is the cutest thing I have seen in a long time! Milla is one lucky little granddaughter!

anonymouse

I like them both, though I’m a little confused about the dining room transformation. Did the re-do involve creating that nook and second window? Or are we just seeing the room from a different angle?

grace

anonymouse

good pt- i’ll check with kate. i think it’s from a different angle. i’m pretty sure this was all we got with the submission, i’ll check the original email.

grace

Kristan

Okay, that play kitchen is mind-blowingly awesome!!

Don’t get me wrong, the bedining room is fantastic too (I love the brightness and the classy but casual feel) but we’re all kids at heart, so toys trump all. :D

tricia

love both of these B+As. the dining room is gorgeous – what paint was used for the grey wall?

Katy

1. Is that a chalkboard wall? Loving!
2. 33yrs isn’t too old for a play kitchen right?!

Mee-Jin

What an awesome transformation on the play kitchen! I think this is my favorite before/after I have seen to date. Just gave an old little tikes kitchen away for free, I would def hang onto this one though.

Susan

The kiddy kitchen is ingenious – would never have thought of it but will file it away for my grandchildren one day…soon, I hope!

Ban Clothing

Such a great idea with the cabinet conversion to a play kitchen!!!! I really the small details and that is going to be one lucky girl!

Kitchens

Oh my god, the kids kitchen is such a cool idea. Can I share this on my own blog? So creative and I’m sure the kids love it!!

Jamie

the play kitchen is AMAZING!!!!! i might have to steal that idea when i have kids :)

Amy

Thanks for sharing my little girls play kitchen. She absolutely LOVES it and plays in it every day even now, all her cousins & friends ask to play at our house with Milla’s kitchen ALL the time…. This will be in the family for yrs I think ;)

Maia

The play kitchen made out of the old tv stand is genius! what a lucky kid, I remember stacking up books and other objects to try create my own mini kitchenette when I was younger so this was so sweet to see.

Kate

That play kitchen is ASTOUNDING! I’ve gotta keep this one bookmarked for the next few years :-D

Lightopia

The dining room looks great and that kitchen is genius. I would never have thought to do such a fun makeover.

Lilly

Dining Room…I would LOVE to know what color gray paint that is…so hard to get right and that is a wonderful true gray.

Kate Pruitt

anonymouse –

I can see how the image might be confusing! The “before” picture is of the same angle, just zoomed in so you cannot see the other window or the part of the wall that indents.

d*s fan

two great before and afters!

what a great use of that outdated cabinet!

Sarah

I have a real kitchen, and I want the play kitchen. It’s perfect, I would have gone nuts over it!

morningstar

Love it! I am a huge fan of re-purposing! There is actually a week in Cape Breton that is a venerable treasure hunt… “heavy garbage pick up” on the side of the road will unearth many ugly cabinets just waiting for a new life.

Nancy

The play kitchen is the cutest makeover EVER! Such a brilliant re-use of an old cabinet. My daughters are all grown up … definitely saving this idea for my future grandchildren!

shelley

The play kitchen is one of the most amazingly cute transformations I’ve seen in a long time! I see those old entertainment units all the time at Goodwill for a song. Now all I need is a grandchild….

Elsie Collins

This is just about the best example of a makeover I’ve ever seen!! SOOO clever, and beautifully executed!!! Proof that with imagination, you can make something wondeful from nothung!!!
BRAVO!!

karen cheung

what really struck me about this was how amazingly generous people can be – to make that wonderful thing just for your grandchild is the best thing about the project. Thanks for sharing!

Shannon

I love them both. I would love a diningroom like that and the kitchen is adorable!!!

Lisa

Is that play kitchen amazing or what??!! The inclusion of a refrigerator makes it perfect. Fabulous job!

Jean

Wow, both transformations are beautiful, but the play kitchen is ingenious! Amazing! I want to be a little again.

Lynn

That play kitchen could not be cuter. And darn, we had one of those entertainment centers that we sold for almost nothing!

Kristi

This is the most creative project I’be Ever seen! Kudos! This is literally mind blowing! Can’t wait to follow;)

Jenya

Black wall – wow! I never thought about having a full/partial black wall, but it looks impressive and very unusual.

Betty

OMGosh! I love this…I can’t wait to find an old cabinet to make over!

Stephanie

Amazing transformation on the play kitchen! Love it! I may need to go to our local 2nd hand store to find an old, inexpensive TV unit!

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