What kind of look were you after?
I wanted it to look like a fun and girly cubby house but for my dog, Lyla. I was going for a relaxed, Malibu chill vibe by painting it a light pink and leaving the floor its natural wood to look like floor boards.
I also painted a feature wall by doing pink and white stripes to make it fun and put inside a battery operated light switch for night time.
What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was painting in the hard to reach places like the inside walls. So I would recommend painting before assembly!
Talk us through the process
- No sanding was needed. I used a 4 in 1 undercoat by British Paints then went over the top with Blush Pink chalk paint by Rustoleum. On the trims I used a linen white chalk paint also by Rustoleum to make it pop, including the door and lining of the roof.
- On the inside back wall of the house I painted a pink and white striped feature wall.
- I also put a battery-operated light switch on the inside for when we aren't home at night time.
- I hated the green rubbery mat on the roof so I peeled it off (which was super easy). I was going to scrape off the glue but I left it on as it give it some texture.
- I screwed on the planter box and the bell, and stuck on the house numbers (16) which is actually her birthday date. I also hung solar light bulbs around the top for extra light.
How much did you spend?
In total I spent under $250, including the cost of the $129 Kmart kennel.
Budget breakdown
Kennel: $129 (Kmart)
Mat: $10 (Kmart)
Solar lights: $10 (Kmart)
Paint: $45 (Bunnings)
Ship's bell: $20 (Bunnings)
Charcoal planter box: $6 (Bunnings)
Steel house numbers: $7 each (Bunnings)
Plants: $10 (Bunnings)
Favourite part?
The final touches! To see the image in my head come together so perfectly made the painting worth it! Also, to see my little girl lay in her Malibu house made it so worthwhile.
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