The Barbie Dreamhouse Is an Accidental Funhouse Museum of American Design

Table Of Content

• Eight home interiors where mezzanines maximise usable space
• Barbie 3-Story Dream Townhouse
• Architect Breaks Down Why Movie Villains Live In Ultra-Modern Houses
• The Barbie Dreamhouse Is an Accidental Funhouse Museum of American Design
• Barbie Dream House vs. Modern Dollhouses
• How was the 90s Barbie Dream House different from previous versions?

The 90s was a decade filled with nostalgia, and one iconic symbol of that era was the Barbie Dream House. This playset was every little girl’s dream, with its bright pink exterior, multiple floors, and endless possibilities for imaginative play. From the moment you walked into a room adorned with the Barbie Dream House, you were transported into a world of glamour, fashion, and fun. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and explore why the 90s Barbie Dream House holds a special place in the hearts of many. The latest wave of Barbie Dreamhouses, naturally, are informed by digital life, with flamboyant flourishes — such as slides — that are practically made for Instagram (and movie set pieces). As homes, they are generally — apart from the slides — unremarkable, evoking the expensively anodyne architecture of clean lines and stainless steel appliances that serve as backdrop to influencer videos.

Eight home interiors where mezzanines maximise usable space

"It's almost like looking at an old photo where you can’t quite remember, but you know you’ve been in a similar house as kid with the same froufrou bedding." The most recent version was built to house Barbie's friends and family, too, versus the original house, which was just for her (Mattel notes it can "sleep" up to four dolls). "Barbie has been a reflection of culture through her own style, fashion and careers," Greening says, "so it only makes sense that her Dreamhouse follows with what is currently considered in vogue." The original Dreamhouse was made with cardboard and paper — you could fold it up and carry it with you.

Barbie 3-Story Dream Townhouse

The attention to detail was impeccable, with intricate furnishings, colorful wallpaper, and even working appliances in the kitchen. The 90s Barbie Dream House was more than just a toy; it was a gateway to a world of endless possibilities. With its vibrant pink exterior, glittering accessories, and meticulously designed interiors, this dream house became the ultimate fantasy for aspiring interior decorators and fashionistas alike.

Architect Breaks Down Why Movie Villains Live In Ultra-Modern Houses

Additionally, the Dream House came with a range of accessories, such as furniture, appliances, and even a pink convertible car for Barbie to cruise around in. The 90s Barbie Dream House was more than just a dollhouse; it was a gateway to a world of possibilities. With multiple rooms and interactive features, children could create their own narratives and embark on exciting adventures with Barbie and her friends.

Barbie embraced white wicker when it was in vogue, and then the over-the-top lacy plush look of the late 1980s with her "Sweet Roses" collection. Overall, this blend of different architectural and design styles was a staple of the 90s. This home also has the return of the more traditional dollhouse, with historical inflections and stained glass famous from the Art Noveau movement. Lastly, the house features an explosion of floral patterns all over the walls and home furniture décor. Mid-century Modernism and Ranch Style Homes characterized the early 1960s in the Global North.

Many of these houses are full of excess—but they’re not off in the stratosphere, either. In Forever Barbie, Lord compares the plastic doll to the "almost intimidatingly tasteful" first generation of American Girl dolls, with their gorgeous accessories. Felicity’s stunning Early American pieces and Kirsten’s gorgeous hand-painted folk art trunk wouldn’t be out of place in an early 1990s magazine spread about a WASPy executive’s home in the most bucolic parts of Connecticut. Despite Barbie’s dedication to trends in design and consumer culture generally, she never went repressively tasteful.

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In this blast from the past, we’ll be delving into the nostalgia of the 90s Barbie Dream House, a symbol of every little girl’s imagination and the epitome of style and fun. Get ready to reminisce and discover why this dream house captured the hearts of millions. "Barbie has always reflected the culture," explains toy expert Chris Byrne. "That’s why a Barbie in 2022 really looks nothing like a Barbie in 1950, because Barbie’s always reflected the world that kids see around them. And it’s always been somewhat aspirational, as well." "You can help Barbie arrange the living room!" the same voice continues, moving the doll so she’s in front of a white brick fireplace, a white sofa, and a plush white rug.

Set of 8 Vintage Retro Barbie Cards Playing Cards // Single Swap // Scrapbooking // Junk Journal //

"The decision to use more pink and to emphasise it started in the late 70s because there were so many Barbie copycats. And in an effort to really distinguish Barbie in the marketplace, they decided to brand everything in pink." "Whereas in later years, they veer more towards just being functional, vague references to contemporary styles." This decor nods to the so-called "fern bars" of the time that incorporated cosy design touches in the hopes of enticing a new generation of single women into what were traditionally male establishments. “Camp has become the white noise of our culture,” said Whitney Mallett, a contributing editor of PIN-UP, who edited the book with Felix Burrichter, the magazine’s founder (the design and concept are by Ben Ganz). From midcentury modern to a Gen-Z collab house, Barbie has kept up with design trends. Click here to see more 90s barbie house with free shipping included.

Aesthetically, principal designer for Barbie Bill Greening describes it as "very mid-century in style and design, with a bid of 1960s suburbia." The Barbie Dream House also fostered social interaction and collaboration. Children could invite their friends over for playdates and engage in cooperative play. They could take turns playing different roles and collaborate on creating imaginative stories together. This not only enhanced their social skills but also promoted teamwork and communication.

This allowed them to develop an appreciation for design and aesthetics from a young age, fostering their creativity and personal style. Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish. "It's nostalgic and reminds us of our childhood. We're all in our last year of our 20s and Barbie was such a huge thing," one girl explained.

Moreover, the trends blur the lines between our physical and virtual presence. Another special edition was the “Collector’s Edition Barbie Dream House,” which was designed for avid Barbie collectors. This version boasted unique design elements and often came with exclusive accessories or limited-edition Barbie dolls. These special edition versions added a touch of exclusivity and made the 90s Barbie Dream House even more covetable for Barbie enthusiasts. But in the 1980s and ‘90s Barbitecture took a hard turn into the fairy tale, with Dreamhouses saturated in pink and designs evoking Victorian and Neoclassical manses of the late 19th century.

However, it was common for retailers to offer bundle deals where the Dream House was sold together with a Barbie doll or multiple dolls, providing a complete play experience right out of the box. This iconic playset also had interactive features, like a doorbell that made sounds, lights that could be turned on and off, and a phone that Barbie could use to chat with her friends. The attention to detail and the realistic touches made the 90s Barbie Dream House the ultimate fantasy for any Barbie lover. One of the standout features of the Barbie Dream House was the working elevator.

In lieu of that, we have Airbnb turning a Malibu party house into an improvised Barbie Dreamhouse and making it available for stays — a confection of impossibly pink plastic surfaces and impossibly green AstroTurf. In the same way that passerby identify with either the pink house or the black house, the aesthetics of the homes seem to match with their respective owners as well. Spica said the owner of the black house wouldn’t have bought the pink house and vice versa. Another misconception is that the inside of the Barbie house matches the outside. Since it was built, it has always featured a neutral interior style with small improvements over the years.