When I saw this play kitchen in Sue & Graeme's Eclectic Victorian Townhouse it reminded me the one I had as a kid — a simple, classically styled set where I could get lost in a world of pretend cooking. I think I owe much of my love of all things nesting to that first pretend kitchen. Inspired by nostalgia, I found the source for this little kitchen and also rounded up a few others.
As a boy of five years old, the only item on my Christmas list was a play kitchen. If memory serves me correctly, there was a play kitchen in my kindergarten classroom and I always enjoyed playing in it but it was often overcrowded with girls ... and the boys would make fun of me for hanging out with the girls. The solution? Get a play kitchen of my own! Of course, little boys don't have money or the freedom to shop so I couldn't just go out and buy one. So I did what any boy would do and put it on my Christmas list. To make the point crystal clear to my parents, I made sure it was the only thing on my list.
I got my play kitchen that year - a simple, unisex sink/range/cabinet combo where I spent hours and hours playing house or whipping up dishes for my pretend diner, which I patterned after Mel's Diner from a popular TV show at the time, Alice. I'm sure that early pretend time was key to my becoming the home-design-blog-editing, DIYing man I am today.
Shown Above:
• Red Vintage Kitchen from Kidcraft This is the kitchen in Sue & Graeme's home. Available at various retailers for around $135.
• 4-in-1 Play House Kitchen from Toys-R-Us $419.99
• DUKTIG Play Kitchen from IKEA $79.99
• What's Cookin' Kitchen Appliances from Land of Nod $229 - $249
• Red Retro Kitchen Collection from Pottery Barn Kids $249 - $699
(Images: 1. Sue & Graeme's Eclectic Victorian Townhouse. All others: As credited above.)
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Hillary & Michael's Refined Roost
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Nomade Express Slee...
My Staple Summer Cocktail Recipe: Campari & IPA Spritzer
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
We just got the Kidkraft retro kitchen and it is awesome. The quality is great, it looks great and my daughter (1.5yrs) LOVES it! People complain about how long it takes to put together. My husband did it by himself and it took about 2 hours. He said it wasn't difficult; there are just a lot of little pieces.
What a sweet post. So glad little Jason got his kitchen!
I was going to DIY one for my son, or get the IKEA version, but then I found a vintage play kitchen from the 60s in great condition on Craigslist. We put it in our kitchen and he plays with it every day, usually while Mom or Dad is in there cooking too. He's got wild red curls so we call him our baby Bobby Flay.
Love this post. Silly how professional cooking is such a male-dominated field but play kitchens are so widely considered to be girl toys.
The Red Retro kitchen from Pottery Barn is awesome. I still have much love for my old Easy Bake oven (cakes with that lightbulb flavor!) although it seems extremely primitive in comparison to the full kitchen spreads for kids today..
Awwwwww. Sweet story.
We've had the kidkraft kitchen in our kitchen for almost two years now. I love it! The quality is great and every kid that comes over beelines for it.
Sorry, I only clicked on this link because of the poorly photoshopped main image.
That said, I HOPE my son wants a play kitchen. I loved them and they're not just for girls.