Raise your hand if you love IKEA! 🙋🏼‍♀️ I really don’t mind putting furniture together, actually I kind of enjoy it – so IKEA is for me. I got the inspiration for this Ikea play kitchen hack from Pinterest and I kept it pretty simple and gender neutral. If you search IKEA Duktig play kitchen hack you can find tons of ikea play kitchen makeover ideas.

This DIY project doesn’t take much time at all and it’s such a fun project to do. If you’ve been wanting a play kitchen but not wanting to spend a fortune, keep on reading. I’ll show you step-by-step how to do an easy and affordable Ikea play kitchen makeover. If you’re not into DIY head to the end of the post for some cute affordable options.

This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission when you purchase using the links provided, at no added cost to you.

Ikea Play Kitchen Makeover Cost

First of all, this Ikea Duktig kitchen is only $89 (now, as I update this in 2025 it is $99.99). You could even find one of these secondhand. Since you are going to paint it anyway, it doesn’t need to be in tip-top shape. There are plenty available on Facebook marketplace or you may even have a friend whose kids have outgrown of their kitchen and are looking to get rid of it. 

Yes I would love to have one of the amazing Pottery Barn Kids play kitchens but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend $500 on something my kids might (will most likely) destroy. The cost of the supplies I used is under $20 bringing this to a total cost of $120 if you buy the kitchen new. Any accessories you add will contribute to the overall cost as well but those can be added at a later time. They make great gift ideas for holidays or Birthdays.

How To Paint the Ikea Play Kitchen

This is what the Ikea kitchen looks like to start (still very cute ☺️). It doesn’t come with the kitchen utensils but you should get them, they are so cute and only $4.99! I share some of my favorite accessories for the play kitchen below. 

You’ll first want to decide on a kitchen design or color scheme. I decided to paint our kitchen white, but I wanted to keep the natural wood countertop. You could also cover the wood countertop with contact paper to make it look like granite or quartz too. The possibilities are endless.

If you are purchasing it new, then you can just paint the pieces before assembling. If you purchased it used, it will definitely be easiest to take the kitchen apart before painting. Since I chose white paint, I used a semi-gloss white spray paint. Some parts of the kitchen are already white, including the oven door and microwave door. I did not spray paint the parts that were already white and it all matches fine. I did paint the base cabinet and top cabinets.

Do I need to Sand an Ikea Play Kitchen before Painting?

This might be the first thing you are wondering. You do not need to sand the kitchen itself but yes you should lightly sand the plastic parts that you are going to paint (the sink, faucet and handles).

Supplies For the Ikea Play Kitchen Makeover

Before getting started make sure you have all the supplies you need. Here is what you will need to complete this play ktichen makeover for your little one:

• White Semi-Gloss Spray Paint (2)
• Gold Spray Paint (1)
• Painter’s tape
• Foam Poster Board for optional backsplash
• Dark Gray or black sharpie marker
• A drop cloth
• Sand paper

I decided on gold accents, so I spray painted the handles, sink, legs, and the border of the cooktop gold. The paint color we chose was Rust-Oleum Universal Paint and Primer in One in Metallic Pure gold. I just covered the cooktop with painters tape in order to spray the edge.

I will say, after almost a year the gold paint is definitely chipping. It flaked off in big chunks on the sink, so I would recommend lightly sanding it first with sand paper. This will help the paint to better adhere to the sink. I’ve since touched it up but it could look better.

Once everything is dry, you just need to assemble it and you are done! 

Other Optional Upgrades to Consider Adding to the Ikea Play Kitchen

Oven Knobs or Replacement Handles

I have seen other cute ikea duktig play kitchen makeovers where they add wooden knobs to the oven that actually spin. This would require some more tools and planning but it looks really fun. You could also swap out the plastic cabinet handles for real kitchen drawer pulls to give the kitchen a more realistic look. Wooden handles is another options if you are looking for a Montessori style kitchen.

Ikea Play Kitchen Backsplash

I decided to go really cheap with this for my kitchen and I drew on the subway tile with a permanent marker. I simply cut a piece of foam poster board to fit and used a ruler to mark out the 4 x 2 inch tiles. I drew them on with a dark gray sharpie and it took maybe 10 minutes. I then taped the board onto the back of the kitchen. You could use little nails but I was feeling lazy that day 😂.

I thought about using the peel and stick subway tiles and I may still add them because they are glossy and look more realistic. You can find plenty of options at Home Depot or Lowes to fit your aesthetic. I also found this faux tile option on Etsy – it’s a sticker that you could add to the foam board. The seller also has the wooden knobs and handles that I mentioned above too.

Ikea Play Kitchen Accessories

Now that you have the perfect play kitchen to match your aesthetic, you will need to add all of the fun accessories for your Ikea play kitchen. There are so many possibilities for pretend play with this kitchen. Ikea sells a lot of really cute play food and you can also find a ton of wooden fruit and felt options online at various retailers. Etsy has a lot of fun homemade options like these little crochet raspberries. Now I’m wanting to try making them myself. (I recently started learning how to crochet and it’s a lot harder than I thought).

Ikea makes some stainless steel cookware but I also love the option linked below for wooden pots and pans. Click the image to shop!

​You can also gift your little ones extra accessories and appliances for their kitchen for holidays and birthdays. We love this little coffee maker and blender. They have both gotten years of use out of them.

Decorate for the Holidays!

This project was an early Christmas gift for my son. I couldn’t wait until Christmas to show it to him and we were also going away. I found some fun home decor items in the Target dollar section and the little basket is from the container store.

If DIY is not your thing, they have come out with a lot more kitchens at an affordable price that are super cute. Some of these are starting at only $50. I’ve linked a few of my favorites below 👇🏻.

Cute and Affordable Alternatives to the Ikea Play Kitchen Makeover

Tiny Land Wooden Play Kitchen [$169.99] – this one comes in a green or white color and includes the cookware and the adorable storage baskets. We have the climber from Tiny Land and we love it. The quality is amazing.

Teamson Kids Little Chef Cyprus [$130.86] – I love the white oak and faux marble look of this kitchen. It also has a lot of fun interactive realistic features such as a built-in icemaker in the refrigerator, pull-down faucet sprayer on the sink, and clicking oven knobs. Includes a lot of accessories including: a toy phone, two spatulas, a pot, a pan, a lid, two seasoning bottles, a cup, three pretend ice cubes, a mini hand towel, and a utensil box

Battat Two n’ One Wooden Kitchen Café with Dishes and Chalkboard [$49.88] – The price on this one cannot be beat! Love that it doubles as a chalkboard.  It also comes with 4 play food pieces, cups, mugs, plates, a bowl, cutlery, utensils, a pan, and a pot with a lid.

Scalloped Play Kitchen by BCP [$79.99] – This one might be my top pick for budget and style. Comes in 5 different colors but the cream is just perfection. Includes 5 accessories: three cooking utensils, a play pot, and a Dutch oven.

Please leave any questions you have about the Ikea play kitchen makeover below and I will be sure to get back to you! Or feel free to send me a DM on instagram.

You May Also Like:

• Easy Spooky Spider Halloween Cupcakes
• 5 Edible Crafts for Kids