Turn an Old Cabinet into a Kid's Diner

It's amazing what you can do with an old entertainment center. First we turned ours into an adorable kid's kitchen. But why stop there? We decided to add even more fun by building a retro kid's diner on the back. Because the two really should go hand and hand, don't you think?

Prepare the Cabinet

Clean the cabinet thoroughly and remove all hinges, handles and knobs. Save the hardware for later use. Sand lightly and wipe off all dust with a tack cloth. Although there are many paints on the market that include primer in their formula, it is a good idea to roll on a coat of a good single primer to seal the finish and ready the piece for paint. The finish will take a lot of abuse since it will be used as a toy.

Paint the Cabinet a Fun ColorPaint the cabinet a color of your choice. The main body can be rolled, but you should use a brush for the trim and small areas to be sure you have good coverage. Consider painting colors that are appropriate for the area, like white inside the refrigerator and black inside the oven. Paint all shelves and doors as well.

Create the Refrigerator DoorFor the refrigerator door, cut a pine panel about 1" smaller in each dimension than the size of the original door. Cut pieces of 1 1/4" round trim to frame the door. Glue and nail the pieces in place. Fill any cracks or knots with spackle and sand smooth when dry. Cut through the panel at about a third of the length to be the freezer door. The bottom two thirds will be the refrigerator door. Paint both pieces in your chosen color.

Set the SinkThe sink is a plastic kitchen bowl, but it could also be a stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl upside down in the cabinet and draw a circle around the rim with a pencil. Draw a second circle about 3/8" inside the first circle, which will now be your cut line. Drill a hole in the cabinet inside the circle to be cut out. Put the blade of a jigsaw inside the hole and cut along the pencil cut line. Sand off any burrs or splinters. The bowl can be permanently mounted with construction adhesive or left removable for cleaning.

Mount a Sink FaucetCut a 1 1/4" hole at the center back of the sink location to mount a sink faucet. Use a broken faucet or one purchased at a thrift or resale store.

Create the Back Kitchen WallCut a piece of masonite or 1/4" plywood to fit the back of the cabinet. Glue and nail a wooden picture frame to the center of the space and trim out the center with a jigsaw. This will be the kitchen window. Mount this assembly to the back of the cabinet with small nails.

Rehang the Doors

Clean the hinges and spray paint if necessary. When rehanging the doors, attach the hinge to the door and then holding it in place, screw the hinge to the frame. Move the hinges to the bottom edge for the oven door.

Make the Curtains

Choose a fabric or kitchen towel to be the curtains. Hem the sides, bottom and top with a pocket. Use a dowel rod through the pocket for the curtain rod and hang it on cup hooks mounted to the top corners of the picture frame.

Create a Stove Top

Cut and mount a piece of adhesive backed vinyl to fit the oven door and another piece for the stove top. Cut circles from craft foam and glue them together for the stove burners. Mount knobs on washers so that they will turn like real stove handles.

Attach a piece of pre-made chalkboard to one side of the cabinet. If you happen to have a piece of plywood on hand, you can paint it with chalkboard paint. But if you're buying it, you'll find that pre-made chalkboard is typically cheaper. TIP: Drill pilot holes or use small finish nails to avoid chipping the chalkboard.

Build Out the Back

Fill any remaining areas by with plywood in a thickness that will make all surfaces of the back flush with one another. Paint two coats of the base color. All surfaces should be flush before proceeding.

Cut the Trim

Cut corner trim to fit the edges of the cabinet, covering up the raw edges. You might have to notch out areas to make the corners fit the existing trim.

Cut the Remaining Pieces

Cut a 1-inch by 12-inch pine board and a 1-inch by 2-inch pine board the width of the cabinet between the corner trim pieces. (You're going to put these boards together to make the lunch counter.) Measure the cabinet across the top. Cut a 1-inch by 6-inch pine board this measurement for the diner sign. Paint a coat of primer on all boards and trim pieces, and let them dry completely. Fill any knots, gouges or holes with spackle and sand until smooth. Apply the finish coats of paint.

Install the Trim

Install the trim, including the corner trim and the window frame. Drill pilot holes and use finish nails to attach the trim.

Build the Lunch Counter

The lunch counter is constructed from the 1-inch by 12-inch board and the 1-inch by 2-inch board so that it can hang down, making the diner easy to store. Lay the two boards tightly together and mark hinge locations on the edges of each board. Score along the marked lines with a utility knife. Using a wood chisel with the tapered edge against the wood, tap with a hammer and remove about 1/8 inch material. Install the hinges. TIP: Take your time and remove small amounts of material at a time.

Install the Angle Brackets

Draw a level line along the back of the cabinet, about 19 inches off the ground. Install small angle brackets, making sure the bracket screws are anchored securely into solid wood.

Install the Counter

Have a helper set the counter on the brackets and hold it in place. From the underside, install screws through the angle bracket into the 1-inch by 2-inch section of the counter. Carefully lower the front edge of the counter to make sure it is secure.

Mount the Shelf Brackets

Add shelf brackets to hold the counter in the upright position when needed. Mark the mounting positions on the brackets. Drive screws to attach two hinges to one side of each bracket. Have a helper hold the counter in the upright position. Hold the shelf bracket under the counter at a level height and install screws through the hinges and into the back wall. Make sure the screws hit solid wood.

Add a Diner Sign

Spruce up your diner with a painted sign. Install the sign with hinges so that it can lay flat for storage, and flip up when the diner is open.