How to Make a Barbiecore Interior Timeless

5min read

Hot pink energy has taken a recent seismic shift from microtrend to maximal obsession. A sprinkle of Y2K, a dash of ‘bimbo’ reclamation and a generous glug of fun. You’ve probably noticed: Barbiecore is everywhere.  

What is Barbiecore? 

The Barbie doll’s signature hyper-pink, over-the-top style sits on a blow-up bubble chair at the heart of this trend. Barbiecore is all about escapism, warmth and whimsy.  

Greta Gerwig might be thanked for the resurgence, with her new film starring Margot Robbie scheduled to hit our screens in July 2023 that promises lots of neon Lycra and Dream House envy (please say you’ve seen the Architectural Digest article?). But Barbie has always been a worldwide cultural icon, whether that was to celebrate, or mock. Well, we’ve all had a tumultuous past few years, and a make-believe life of luxury yachts, hot tubs, cute pooches and year-round sunshine sounds pretty good to us.  

So, although we all know that plastic isn’t quite so fantastic after all, living in our own personal Barbie world is still extremely tempting.  

Discover this dreamy, escapist aesthetic through art and begin to infiltrate your interior with Barbiecore in a way that’s timeless, not just a trend. 

Pick of the Pinks

Naturally, we’re heading straight to the pink section of the colour wheel for immediate inspiration.  

Pink is the colour of love and kindness, but more than anything, it can introduce a calming ambiance into your home. Barbiecore takes this feeling and doubles it, triples it and then quadruples it, whilst still remaining easygoing and playful.

This screenprint from Dave Buonaguidi combines Barbie magenta with a bright red for a hugely on-trend combination. It’s big, bold and would particularly elevate a living room wall in need of a pink embrace.

We love the humour in Charlotte Gerrard’s ‘In the Pink 2’, which fully embodies the energy you want to give off with an interior that’s taking a shift towards Barbiocore brilliance. The background colour gives the print depth, whilst the contrast of turquoise will draw the eye, even in an all pink-themed salon hang.

Call us bias (our logo is a similar pink, after all) but ‘Pamper’ by Michelle Chan is ticking all the right boxes for an instant hit of invigorating colour.

 
In the above artworks, pink dominates. But, when introduced as an accent colour, your favourite Barbie hues can still stand out.

If you’re on the hunt for a more abstract way to introduce this trend to your home, the rosier tones of Kate Dolan’s work amongst earthy fawns and sky blues means that you can cover a large wall space without a sensory overload.

Chow Ciao Chow’s painting ‘The Plants That Grow in Water of Tears’ might not sound like a good time, but it certainly looks like it brings the party.

This artwork begs for a mix-and-match hang with contrasting patterns. The bold colours and smooth, natural patterns would really live the Barbiecore fantasy next to a more geometrical pink piece.

It’s a Vibe

A slightly more literal take might take a trip to Las Vegas with Richard Heeps. His distinctive, sun-drenched style lends itself perfectly to capturing the essence of Barbiecore without necessarily adopting flashy hot pinks.

Whizz up an artwork from his ‘Man’s Ruin’ series with a louder, abstract piece to create the ultimate diner-style strawberry milkshake aesthetic for your home collection.

The iconic dolls on the dashboard of a classic American car in ‘Oldsmobile & Sinful Barbie’s, Las Vegas’ is Barbiecore to, well, the very core.

The Barbie Dream House

You may not be able to go full-Barbiecore for every room, but you can still channel the Barbie Dream House vibe with a pink-heavy artwork that features bubble-gum architecture or interiors.

See how the colour stands out against a darker wall when Joaquin Valdez’ is placed in a central position? Add a few pink home accessories and a living room space can ooze the Barbie Dream House fantasy without completely taking over.

Right now, painting the front of our homes pink seems, in principle, like a great idea. In practice, this will probably involve a lot of mess, stress and perhaps some unhappy neighbours. But, you can channel that DIY desire by hanging the playful ‘Notting Hill III’ by Ali Mourabet on your wall to own your very own pink home.

Think Outside the Barbie Box

The extraordinary art you choose for your home should inspire emotion, but that doesn’t mean that an artwork can’t also inspire whimsy or even make visitors laugh along with your vision.

Decorating your home with unique sculptures is extremely Barbiecore, and by thinking outside of the so-called Barbie box you can really elevate your interior.

The neon works of Mary Jo McGonagle will add a real buzz to any central space. We love the idea of installing ‘Free Kisses’ in a living room; traditionally a place associated with comfort, connection and love, whether that’s romantic, familial or the friendship kind.

Betsy Enzenberger has become renowned for her larger-than-life resin sweet treats. Glitter or sprinkles? Studs or rainbows? Check out her collection for a timeless piece that will get all your visitors smiling.

If you want to go full meta on this trend, a ‘Happy Pill’ from Tal Nehoray is the way to go. Derived from discomfort around consumerism, hanging a ceramic happy pill on your wall is an ironic nod to the idea of ‘buying happiness’ which exists in Barbie’s luxurious world. A piece like this offers a sense of self-reflexivity whilst also indulging in a tempting slice of self-obsession.

Divide and Contrast

It’s not all about Barbie pink. To keep a wall dynamic and eye-catching, it might be worth investing in a print that goes heavy on contrasting colours. A vivid green or cyan blue against a pink wall is not only an on-trend choice, but also a timeless Colour Theory method to create tonal harmony within interiors.

The simples shapes within ‘Vinyl Hot Pink Blue’ by Deborah Pendell really draw the eye. We’re not sure how Barbie feels about the vinyl revolution, but this print gets us in a spin.

‘Love to Love Green’ is another great example of how to contrast the colours in your collection effectively. Oli Fowler’s pop art style will fit perfectly into any Dream House scenario with the Barbie aesthetic that we just love to love.

We hope you’ve had a blast discovering the Barbiecore trend ?

Just remember, it’s all about fun, connection and escapism. It might be easy to write this trend off as a passing obsession, but Barbiecore embodies what art has always been about, and extraordinary art never goes out of fashion.

Main Image: Richard Heeps, ‘Oldsmobile & Sinful Barbie’s’, Las Vegas, c-type photography, 50 x 42cm, Bleach Box