How to Make a No-Sew Tablecloth Playhouse

You know that one friend who has kids but still manages to keep the house looking stylish? Sure, you can spot all the usual suspects: baskets of toys, towers of books and all the finger paintings one fridge can hold. But, somehow, it all just works. We want to help you be that friend with a kids’ playhouse that is so chic and unassuming, you can leave it up even when guests are coming over. We give you: The Tablecloth Playhouse. 

Adorable, right? And while it's hard to choose the best part (Super easy? No-sew? Doesn't take up extra space?), the fact that you can easily swap the door, curtains and window boxes for fun new designs is pretty darn fantastic. 

Step 1: Making the Door Frame

While just about any size table could work, we opted for a 6-foot rectangular table and a banquet-style tablecloth that goes all the way to the ground. Once your tablecloth is even on the table, find the center and make a pencil mark where you’d like the top of the door to be. An 18-inch-wide door provides plenty of space for your playful kiddos to maneuver in and out. Measure 9 inches out from the center mark on both sides. Using pinking shears, cut a straight line from the bottom of the sheet upward, working your way around the door. 

Step 2: Cutting Out Windows

Next, mark where you want the windows to go. We went 5 inches away from the door on both sides, but you may need to adjust the measurements based on the size of your table. Just be sure to make your windows slightly smaller across than the short side of your tea towels. To achieve built-in window panes, cut four small squares per window.  

Step 3: Creating a Door

Now that your tablecloth is prepped, let's add some color! An old pillowcase makes the perfect door with a few minor adjustments. Cut a strip of adhesive hook-and-loop tape, and attach one side to the top of the door frame. Attach the other side of the tape to the closed end of the pillowcase. Once the tape adhesive has had time to adhere, attach the pillowcase to the tablecloth, cutting any excess at the bottom with your pinking shears. Hook-and-loop tape is great, not only because it means no sewing, but it also makes it easy to change the look of your playhouse without having to cut up a whole new tablecloth.

For added color and an easy way to tie up the door, hot glue two long pieces of ribbon to the top of the pillowcase. Be sure one side of each ribbon falls to the front while the other side falls to the back. Keep the ribbon long on both sides of the door to make adjusting the door’s opening a breeze.

Step 5: Hanging Curtains 

For the curtains, we used a pair of matching tea towels. Start by attaching hook-and-loop tape to the top of the window, and glue a piece of ribbon to both sides of the window to tie back your curtains. Next, simply cut through the center of the towel, leaving about 4 inches at the top. Flip the towel over, and add a strip of hook-and-loop tape. Attach the tea towel at the top, and tie on both sides. 

Step 6: Adding Window Boxes

Below each window, we used a third tea towel as a window box. Simply find a towel with a floral pattern, double it over, and cut out both boxes in one simple step. Attach the hook-and-loop tape on the back of each window box, and attach the other side just below each window. 

Bonus: Don't forget how easy it is to change the look of your playhouse. Simply add hook-and-loop tape to a new set of tea towels and a pillowcase for a whole new look!