Happy weekend, friends! Last summer I talked about how I was giving my son’s Step2 playhouse a makeover; however, I never shared my results with you! Total fail on my part, but life got pretty busy in all fairness. Today I am finally sharing with you my results, plus my one-year review — because yes, it has already been one year and I am excited to share how the playhouse has held up.
I had a lot of fun making over my son’s Step2 Naturally Playful Front Porch Playhouse which we were generously gifted by family. It was well-loved by four kids and weathered from the seasons (take a look at the before photo below) so it was the perfect DIY project for me to take on during nap time.
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What you can’t see from the before photo is the blue roof. I didn’t see the need to put it completely together to only tear it apart and paint it immediately after. But below is the official photo when purchasing the playhouse online where you can see all the pieces and the original colors.
Playhouse Makeover: Process and Products
Like I said before, it was the perfect DIY project during naptime. It was quick and easy to spray a few pieces while my little guy snoozed away. The hardest part was deciding which colors to use. Wanting to keep it bright and airy, I went with my standard white with hints of blue and black.
I added a black handle to the door strictly as an adorable effect. I don’t think my son has even used the handle once to open the door, which is why if you look closely you’ll see some of the paint atop the door is beginning to peel. Oh well! It was only $3 for a two-pack (the second one I used when I made over his play kitchen!).
Products Used:
I first used the primer all over the entire playhouse. I did this step strictly based on other playhouse makeover reviews I had read. But I don’t think this step is necessary especially if you use the paint I used, which had primer built-in. But of course, the decision is totally up to you!
Following the primer, I then covered the majority of the house and bench in white, the roof and shutters in black, and finally the door, doorbell, sink, and a small counter inside the house in blue. I used my power drill to create two small holes in the door to easily attach the handle. Although like I mentioned before, this handle is 100% ignored by my toddler, I am happy I added it. I think it adds a sweet touch to the overall appearance of the playhouse.
Put it all together and I couldn’t be happier with the way the playhouse turned out! Plus my son absolutely adores it. In fact, since I set it up a year ago he has played in it nonstop, no matter the season. Intense summer heat, heavy winter snow, and daily spring rain — this playhouse has endured it all over this past year. So, how has it held up?
Playhouse Makeover: After One Year
After one full year of nonstop play in each season, our playhouse has held up surprisingly well. If you have a place to move your playhouse during harsher weather conditions, I 100% recommend you do that. We, unfortunately, do not have a more sheltered spot to move it to.
From living outside in the intense heat, heavy rain, and piles and piles of snow with a busy (and not-so-gentle) toddler, the paint has finally begun to peel away in a few well-used areas. Especially the door frame, which you may be able to see in the photos above. But with those sweet and clumsy feet stomping through all the time, I am not surprised at all.
What has surprised me is the inside of the roof (white) is peeling a bit, but the outside (black) is still in perfect condition even though the outside has endured all weather conditions. But my son doesn’t seem to mind the minor wear and tear on his beloved playhouse.
All in all, this playhouse makeover took little time and made a huge impact on the look and feel of the house. Given the opportunity, I would do it all over again and I would recommend this easy makeover to anyone considering it.
Thanks for stopping by! Comment below or email me with any questions! Have fun making your own playhouse and let me know how it goes for you!