Obsessed: Refrigerator Boxes Playhouses

We all know there is truth in the old saying that no matter how fun the toy, the kid just wants to play with the box but this is taking that idea to a whole other level.

the coolest parents behind these masterpieces can be found at

a beautiful mess | a girl and a glue gun | rust and sunshine |  my makedo

My latest obsessions has been to find a refrigerator box I repurpose as a temporary indoor playhouse for Aggie's second birthday party  (She loves her outdoor playhouse but its too cold to use it right now).  Whenever I walk around, my eyes scan the curb for the prize.  Sadly, no luck. Anyone in the area with a new fridge and an unused box reading?

A White Playhouse Makeover - You can Transform any Prefab Playhouse

Ta-da!  Agatha is now the proud owner of her own little piece of Brooklyn real estate.  While I could certainly make the case that this white playhouse is perfect for encouraging the type of open-ended imaginative play that is critical for toddler brain development, let's get real.  This is more than a little bit for the little girl in me!  What can I say? I'm a sucker for homes big and small.

I started with this wooden playhouse ordered from Wayfair which I selected primarily because of its small footprint. Perfect for my small backyard but it could even be used on a patio or large indoor playroom.  It arrived quickly and was pretty straightforward to put together.  It's adorable straight out of the box but of course, I wanted to customize it.

How to Customize a Prefab Playhouse into a Customized White Playhouse to Match your Home

The first step of this mini makeover was paint.  Black, white and green are just about my favorite outdoor color scheme and it definitely transformed the look.  I used patio decking to make the floor + porch and used white plastic garden fencing around the edges to create some more definition.  Black and white patterned oil cloth cut and hung as bunting banners graced the eaves.  A few hanging planters were added to the shutters and an oversized metal "A" marks the cottage for its tiny dweller.

And while I fully own that I was pretty determined to get Aggie a little white playhouse cottage no matter what - I'm happy to report she absolutely adores it! Naturally, I can't leave well enough alone so I plan on adding a few upgrades to her white playhouse later this year inside in the form of an area rug and a makeshift play kitchen.  Stay tuned for the next episode of This Little House!

Here is a full source list to DIY a white playhouse just like this one:

• KidKraft Outdoor Playhouse from Wayfair
• Glidden Exterior Semi-Gloss in Emerald
• Glidden Exterior Flat in White
• Rustoleum 2x Black Spray Paint
• Big Lots Plastic Garden Fencing
• Anthropologie Zinc Letter
• Oil Cloth
• Decking Tiles
• Hanging Planters
• Target White Garden Gnome
• Leftover stump

Don't have room for a White Playhouse outside? Check out this cute playhouse under the stairs.

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Aggie's sushi dress is by Alejandra Kearl sushi dress purchased at Zulily

Playhouse Color

I think I've settled on a playhouse color scheme.


At first I thought about doing something with candy color stripes (ala Kate Spade's floors) but something stuck in my mind about black, white and green - modern but still fun.  I can't wait to get started.

I'm sure being the type of person who not only concerns herself with such trivial things as a playhouse color scheme but also physically puts one down on paper probably says a lot about some sort of deep rooted psychological issue. I may be crazy but at least I know it!

Who cares? Its going to have an emerald green door!  (I'm still not decided on my own front door which should probably be a higher priority this is my version of procrastination!)