KidKraft Kitchen for DS at costco.com - but it's so PINK!

[Mamma2004]

Yes, my saga continues with DS turning two next week! MIL (with whom I get along extremely well, so this is not meant to slight her) emailed me the link to the pastel kitchen at costco.com and I reiterated that I do NOT want pastel, especially pink. She asked whether DS would actually care about the color and honestly, I think DH and I are the ones who would care right now. I just wish that costco carried the same model in primary colors because the price IS really good ($140 shipped).

What do you all think? Would it make sense to get the Target kitchen or the primary island one through WalMart if I am not ready to invest in the PBK one?

Should I just paint the darned pastel one for such a good price? Am I being lazy? I recall that some of you did just that but I don't recall how much work that involved. Besides, it comes with dinnerware and I guess we would want it to match, huh?

Please advise and I promise this kitchen pursuit will not still be going on this time next year!

Thank you,
Stephanie

[priscilla73]

My son plays with our Costco Kidkraft kitchen and doesn't mind the pink. It's very cute!

[new_mommy25]

We love our Costco kitchen.

[dhano923]

I almost got the Costco kitchen for DS too, but then DH, my brother and my friend all started in on how I shouldn't get such a pink kitchen for a boy. I ended up getting the Step2 Dream Kitchen which is in shades of browns, so it's very neutral. It was about $160 with shipping.

[jennifer_r]

No personal experience here (I did buy my son a kitchen when he was toddler and he loved it but it was gender neutral in colors). But, IMO, your DS may not mind the pink now but in a year or two he or his male friends may make comments about it being "girly". I am all for boys playing with dolls, girls with trucks, etc. but I can see the color being a problem later.

Just my .02

Jennifer

Mom to:
Christopher 12/29/89
Adelaide 8/23/04
Bronwyn 11/9/05

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_garnet_6m.gif[/img][/url]

[Mamma2004]

Thanks for all of your responses. I am really torn because while it is a great price and includes dinnerware, I do fear the pink will drive us all crazy. Long story short, it is highly likely that we will not be able to give DS a sibling so this kitchen is truly for a boy. MIL said not to paint it, that the colors are soothing...

If we *were* to order it through Costco's website and then wanted to return it, does anyone know whether we could just take it to the warehouse instead of shipping it?

I would still love to hear from more of you. Thank you all!!!

Stephanie

ETA:
I still can't post a photo but here is the link:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/PopupViewer.aspx?prodid=11068941&whse=BC&cat=22244

[funda62]

While I think it is fairly gender neutral and I don't think it matters what colors children play with it is wood so why not

*Paint it.
*Wallpaper it.
*Cover it with sticky backed plast stuff.
*Put wallies on it.

[jenmcadams]

You probably already know this, but Learning Express carries a Kidcraft kitchen in primary colors (I think they have an exclusive deal where they're the only one who carries it). We ended up getting that one for my DD when she was 2 and now I'm glad it's relatively gender neutral. Probably doesn't make a difference, but I like that it's not so girly now that I have a DS for #2. Here's the link ... slightly different than the one Costco has and not nearly as good a deal (although you can sometimes get store specific coupons if you have a Learning Express nearby):

http://www.learningexpress.com/childrens_toys/partNumber_KDKLEKITCHEN/proj.html

Good luck!

[BellaGirl]

My DS will be two in July and I'm looking for a play kitchen too. I eagerly opened up the link you posted (as the price is very good) and my first reaction was: "Woooa, that's a lot of pink!" It does have blue...but somehow it's lost in all that pink! I'm preggo with a girl right now...and even that's not enough to make me think the amount of pink is okay. Huh...I think if I knew I was only having a boy, I would try to look for another one less princess looking. Since I know I'm having a girl, I might ask the inlaws to get this for DS's birthday anyhow...but it's only because I know I'm having a girl and because it would be a nice gift...however, I couldn't with good conscious buy it myself ;)

Try printing out a picture of the kitchen and sticking it on your fridge...if you find the color doesn't bother you after a few days, then buy it. If you find you're more and more bothered by the colors...then skip it and tell your MIL thanks, but you just can't do it. I don't think you're being unreasonable...that's a lot of pink!

[Mamma2004]

Thank you all for your replies. My gut says that the pink is just too much, at any price. That said, we cannot afford the kitchen I *really* like so we have opted to order the darned pastel kitchen, attempt to paint or paper over most of the pink BEFORE assembling it and go from there. If we hate it before altering it, we can always take it back to Costco just 5-10 min. from here.

I want DS to love this kitchen, in part so he will stop trying to play with my KitchenAid mixer and attachments (not to worry, it's unplugged)!

Thank you again and if we are successful in our endeavor, I'll have to learn how to post a photo!

Stephanie

[Kais Mum]

I just thought I'd pipe up here and say we painted ours to be less pink and it came out really well. I painted the fridge, oven and dishwasher doors all a denim blue, then painted all handles a deep navy blue. The only pink we have left at this point are a few of the knobs and the buttons across the microwave (which we left yellow). Also, forgot to add that I painted the pink squares on the checkerboard backspash denim blue as well. It wasn't really a big deal. I'll try to attach a photo...

[Mamma2004]

Janna, THANK YOU for posting this photo!!! I feel so much better now that I have seen how well yours turned out.

Did you need to sand and prime the kitchen beforehand? What kind of paint did you use?

I welcome any tips before I take on this project with a soon to be 2 y.o. underfoot!

Thank you!
Stephanie

[Kais Mum]

I didn't sand anything. I did use a spray primer over everything I painted - Zinsser BIN primer - and the denim colored paint was all satin interior paint I had left over from my son's room. I used small foam paint rollers to apply that on the doors, and then used a cheapo foam paint brush and just free-handed the backsplash squares (don't bother priming there - it's melamine I think and the primer didn't take well for me there). The dark blue on the handles is spraypaint (following the Zinsser primer). I think that's it. One coat of primer and 2 of paint did the job. I did make the mistake of using magnetic paint before the final blue paint on the fridge doors - but it was very time-consuming and expensive and my kids don't seem very impressed by magnetic doors, so I wouldn't suggest bothering with it.

Good luck. We've had ours since Christmas and the paint looks new still - it has held up beautifully so I don't regret for a moment going to the trouble. The price was right and the color scheme is SOOO much more tolerable now. I completely hated the pink - it's not even a nice pink (Pepto anyone?), so I was all for painting away as much of it as I could!!

[hez]

Janna, you did a great job... I may be able to convince DH to get the kitchen now (I've been eyeing it for awhile). Thanks for sharing :)

[jennifer_r]

Just wanted to let you know that your kitchen turned out really well. I love the navy blue. Good work!

Jennifer

Mom to:
Christopher 12/29/89
Adelaide 8/23/04
Bronwyn 11/9/05

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_garnet_6m.gif[/img][/url]

[darby24]

Nice job!

[californiagirl]

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