Ok, first, you have to train your brain to see beyond what is into what could be. Think extreme make-over, thrift store edition. Paint is your friend! I think you could do this project for $20 or less, I "splurged" on a few things. If you spent $40-$50 you could go all out and turn out a super high-end kitchen. Where applicable, I'll break down ways to scrimp and where you could splurge.
The link that started it all: 10 Eco-Friendly DIY Play Kitchens
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Step 1. Get the furniture first! You can make do with all kinds of different pieces, put them together, leave them apart, do one big piece, it's all up to you and dependent on your space situation. Our house is very small, so we went with a very compact little kitchenette! We're thinking of adding a fridge out of a small book case next. We spent two weekends looking at various thrift shops for something that would "speak" to us and scream Take me home! I can't wait to be your kitchen! Go with an open mind, several configurations you might like, and a price point to stick to, then let the pieces you find guide your vision. Remember to think outside the box. I wanted a unit with a back so my kitchen would have a backsplash. The Hero found a short TV stand that was perfect, but backless. I was sad until a unique tray caught my eye and became my backsplash. If you are too set on one thing, you may never find it at the thrift. For what it's worth, Salvation Army and Goodwill tend to price furniture pieces high, so looking for a more genuine thrift store with some really crappy pieces is your best bet, though don't rule the other ones out. Also, if you see a ton of hipsters hanging around outside, they've already raised their prices and are no longer a thrift store, rather, they are now a vintage boutique. They only kept the name to bring more hipsters. Run Away! If you see a family with several kids or really weird people heading in, Run Inside!
*Step 2 or 3. Get your paint on! We happened to decide to paint first and find bits and pieces later. I can't say as there's a right or wrong way to go, but be prepared to do some touch-ups if you paint first and jigsaw or drill later. Here's where I splurged a bit, but was still thrifty. I'm the kind of person who browses the paint section of a hardware store at any opportunity and picks out paint chips and colors for rooms in a house I don't even own (*yet*). I decided to buy custom paint colors.- Super Frugal: Buy abandoned paint! Any place that mixes paint has a section of paint that is reduced in price because someone had it mixed up and then didn't want it. You can find some fun and funky colors there sometimes! It's also your best bet for getting glossy finishes cheap. Always check this section, one person's "ick!" is another person's dream color! This is especially great for me sometimes because I tend to pick bolder colors than most, so some people get scared of their choice and leave it, and I get to snatch up my perfect hue at a fraction of the cost, and I really mean a fraction, most of these abandoned paints go for easily 60-75% off.
- Cheaply Chic: Buy your perfect tones in sample sizes. Most paint mixers have samples available of any brand, even the name brand colors. The sample sizes are usually 7-8 oz. and will definitely do a small project. We bought a sample each of my favorite muse colors of the moment, lime and turquoise, to do this project. we painted all the surface areas of the unit with two coats and we still have a little paint left of each color. A word of caution: most samples will only come in flat finish. If you're hoping for more shine, go ahead and buy the next size up which will come in any finish or a polyurethane finish to top coat with.
- Go All Out: I don't really have to explain this one, but there are tons of more expensive and fabulous options out there. Glitter finish, whiteboard paint, chalkboard paint, metallic, magnetic paint, crackle finish, you name it! Go crazy if you've got the cash and the will!
*Step 3 or 2: Get the Hardware! Or the faux hardware. We used a mix of real hardware, wood, and detail painting to get the look in our kitchen. Thrift stores are your friend here! The hardest part to find was the faucet. We found one a month or two back, when I was just talking this idea. I won't say who, but SOMEONE in my family told me not to buy the brand new faucet from IKEA's "as-is" section for $5... I regretted that decision later, when I had a hard time finding one used. Someone made up for it by finding the one we ended up going with at the thrift for $3, so I guess he's off the hook. Be persistent in finding what you want, and think of all the little things in different ways, look for shape and scale above what the current function is. For us, a small steel bowl became a sink basin, an ugly gold and paint-speckled faucet got some steel wool love and a brushed aluminum spray paint, some wooden daisies and drawer knobs from the craft store became a stove top, and a toothbrush holder became a utensil crock. A cheap curtain rod can hold up thrift store curtains, hemmed pillowcases, or store-bought curtains as well as home-made. These are used to hide food and dish storage in ours, as you'll see in the finished pictures. 
Step 4: Finish and Polish! Almost there! A drill, screwdriver, and jigsaw came in handy for our design, but your design is totally yours and may be different. If you have a problem area, think of a creative solution! Some detail painting can help in the imagination department, but don't forget, kids tend to come with quite an imagination of their own, so don't stress if you're not getting all the things you want into the finished product. Remember how many things you could make out of a cardboard tube or box as a kid? The kitchen is just icing on the cake, the real magic is in the kid that will enjoy it. Add in some tiny utensils, dishes, and play foods, and voila! You've got an awesome and polished little kitchen that looks and IS worth three or four times what you paid for it, plus, it's custom, and I'd rather have this cute little thing in my real kitchen than a large, plastic beast of a kitchen I paid too much for any day!
$$Cost: I did not include in the cost total all of DB's already extensive food and dish selection, but they are from various places, the food and wooden cookware is all from the fabulous people at Melissa and Doug, and is featured on the bar over there --> where it is linked directly to Amazon, who usually have great deals on their products. The tiny pan is from the thrift store for less than a dollar, and the metal and plastic cooking utensils are a bundle from IKEA for $4. Making food out of felt is easy too, but that's a post for another day! Here's our cost breakdown:
You've set the kiddo up to be the next Gordon Ramsey! Awesome! You must teach him your magic!
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