What is Barbiecore?

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The recent release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film has excited the nation with its retro fashion, iconic press junkets and coverage, and whimsical interiors – and has inspired the explosion of Barbiecore hashtags on social media as people everywhere embrace the fun of pink again! But how can you create your own Barbiecore space at home?

We’ll take you through the key building blocks of Barbiecore, as well as how you can infuse your home with both little touches and big influences of playful pink and vibrant sparkle. We’ll also look at pretty pink interiors for those who don’t want to jump with both feet into the Barbiecore trend but love to let their creativity show through their interior design.

What is the Barbiecore trend?

Aside from causing a shortage of pink paint around the world, the Barbiecore trend is inspired by the classic children’s toy, Barbie, first launched in 1959 by Mattel. The joyful touches of colour in the film which have influenced this trend are paired with simplistic interiors and hyper-bright 1980s style to create an eye-catching interior style. Its central inspiration is the iconic Barbie Dreamhouse, which came in many different shapes and shades throughout the years, but was always extremely stylish, extremely bright, and extremely pink!

The colour pink is the central column of Barbiecore, in its many shades and varieties, and the number of people searching for #pinkdecor on TikTok has seen an 85% increase just in the last six months. The trend isn’t just restricted to creating a dolls’ house though – it’s about creating your dream space, inspired by the playful whimsy of the Barbie toys.

So how can you achieve this look in your adult home? Well, we’ve got a few ideas of how to do just that.

How to create Barbiecore interiors

First and foremost, find the shades of pink that you love the most. Whether you love a peachy pink, the palest of pale pinks, or a bold magenta shade, incorporating different shades of any colour is always going to be an easy way to creating a co-ordinated look throughout your home. And don’t forget – it’s not just your walls where you can include this injection of playful pink, you may want to get your floors and ceilings involved too. Here are some of our favourite ideas to inspire Barbiecore in different spaces around your home:

Barbiecore living room ideas

Our living rooms are great spaces to be bolder with our style choices, especially as they tend to be the main room in our home where we entertain guests, so it makes for the perfect space to showcase our own styles and tastes. Pick between warm and cool tones as you’ll want to stick with one strand to help keep your room harmonious. A pink carpet makes for a great statement piece if you want to stick with a neutral wall colour, and if you have wooden floors, you could also opt for a pink rug – Tapi has a carpet whipping service where you can create a rug from any of our pink carpets that you love!

Barbiecore interiors are built for leisure and comfort, with comfortable lounging and sociable spaces that brim with personality – Barbie’s living room is a space for hanging out with friends and relaxing after a day at the beach, so including plenty of plush furniture and cushions to get everyone comfy is key. You can also include plenty of feminine details, such as floral patterns in your curtains or upholstery, ditsy prints for the walls, and smaller details like ruffles, lace, or gentle curved lines.

Barbiecore bedroom ideas

Bringing Barbiecore into your bedroom is a great way to bring some calming and feminine energy into your sleeping and relaxing space. Dial back the hue of your bright colours to bring in more mellow tones like mint green, sky blue, and lavender purple to compliment the paler pink tones you might include. Again, comfort is key in your bedroom, and no Barbiecore bedroom would be complete without focusing on a little bit of luxury. There are dedicated spaces in every Barbie bedroom – a big comfy bed for getting your beauty sleep, an ornate dressing area for getting yourself ready for the day ahead, and a dedicated dressing area, whether this is your wardrobe and mirror or a separate dressing room.

As we explain in our guide on how to feng-shui your bedroom, your bedroom is supposed to be a calming place, so even if you’re a major fan of bold shades of aqua, magenta, and peach, it’s worth toning them down just a little to make your space feel less crowded mentally. You can dip your toe into the bolder Barbie shades with your accessories, however - why not try incorporating bolder colours in your:

Candles
Pillows
Picture frames
Clothes hangers
Vases and ornaments
Bedding
Window coverings
Colourful clothes on an open clothing rack

Barbiecore kitchen ideas

You might be thinking there are limited ways you can bring Barbiecore into more practical spaces in your home like the kitchen or the bathroom, but you’d be wrong! Like Barbie’s career choices, the sky’s the limit here! There are so many ways to get your favourite shades and style into your kitchen – after all, customers love our pink vinyl for a reason, and it’s because it works in so many different spaces. Here are some quick ways you can bring Barbie core into your kitchen with some pink interior design ideas:

Pink appliances – a pink kettle can be a standout element on your kitchen countertops.
Pale pink backsplash – this is a subtle décor change that can soften your kitchen space, especially if you’re working with lots of neutrals or dark colours.
Colourful flower bouquets – this is another subtle change that you can swap in and out as you fancy, but buying a blooming bouquet of large pink peonies or roses adds some Barbie vibes right away.
Herringbone tiles in varying pastel shades – this is a bolder step, but picking flooring like herringbone laminate is a classic pick for any kitchen, and pairing it with a unique colour scheme is very Barbie – a fun twist on a classic!

Barbiecore kids room ideas

If any group of people out there is going to be all for a Barbiecore themed room, it will be your children! Whether they want to channel their Kenergy with a cowboy theme or go all out with pink everything, Barbie core is the perfect style for a kid’s bedroom. Here are some quick style ideas you could try out in their space:

For younger children, let the loud colours reign with plenty of greens, blues and pinks in varying shades, and lots of different shapes make for a more interesting space for them to play and learn in.
For older children, consider including a chalkboard wall so they can create their own stories and play their own games.
For teenagers, Barbie core can be interpreted in a more mature way to grow with their changing tastes, such as including more muted Barbie colours and more sophisticated décor like candles, throws and decorative pillows.
Opt for child-friendly flooring options in your kid’s room so that they have flooring that will stay in style as they grow and their tastes develop and change.

If you want to bring your Barbiecore dreams to the real world, pop down to your local Tapi store and speak with our very friendly floorologists about the different options you could try in your home – you can even take some free samples away with you to try out in your home before you buy.

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Published: 02-08-2023