The REAL Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse

What interior design looks like for the ultimate pink princess

For a good month now, we’ve been hearing an awful lot about Barbie. From entire cinema audiences turning up in pink clobber, and a rash of lookalikes at the SD Comic Con, to Barbie themed food and drink, everywhere we turn Mattel’s A-list megastar is giving us a cheeky wink.

But even all these competitors for the plastic fantastic limelight cannot better the real-life Dreamhouse located, of course, on Malibu Beach. Nigerian-American interior designer Victoria Adesanmi of Aesthetics Studios is the mastermind behind this year’s reimagining of Ken’s rooms in the “dreams come true” Barbie mansion.

Last month, this beauty was available on Airbnb for lucky fans to book Ken’s bedroom for two individual one-night stays. Now that’s exclusive. Ken “listed” his room for hire, and even better, Airbnb announced that the stays were free of charge. Why? “Because Ken couldn’t figure out how to put a price on Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse – after all, Ken’s thing is beach, not math!”

So, what’s new since the three-story bright pink house last appeared on Airbnb? Well, first up two bedrooms and two bathrooms have been thoroughly “Ken-ed”. What this means is that they’re heavily Ken-influenced – so still layered on top of Barbie’s signature colour, but while acknowledging his own journey in the movie. As a nod to this, Ken (or rather – whisper it – Victoria) was keen to have horse-themed paraphernalia, leather cushions, gingham prints, and animal-skin rugs.

Now, judging by Ken’s physique, he seems to have the same trainer as Ryan Gosling. You’d therefore expect nothing less than a private gym. And, naturally, being a fellow A-list star, Ken has a roller disco, private cinema, plus the obligatory life-size but permanently static horse on which he hangs a flamingo-pink feather boa. So far, so good.

You’ll be relieved to hear that Victoria didn’t allow Ken to tread too hard on Barbie’s stilettoed toes. Her fluffy feathered decorations and closet of clothes are all on trend, with pink plastic being the material of choice.

Last but not least, the infinity lap pool is accessorised with an inflatable “K”, “E” and “N”. Well, who wouldn’t?

We hope the lucky guests ate before they went, as even the steaks and chicken on the barbecue are plastic. But with that stunning beachfront view at perhaps the most impressive and star-spangled address in the world, who’s complaining? The bad news for fans is that the mansion last appeared on Airbnb in 2019 for Barbie’s 60th birthday. It therefore looks likely that the next available booking opportunity would be for the as yet-to-be-confirmed sequel. In the meantime, you could always invest in the perfect Barbie shade of paint for your own pad. We’ve done a bit of research for you, and don’t think you can beat Pink Robin by Graham and Fowler for a perfect match. Because even Barbie can’t copyright pink.

Do you think you could conjure up interior design ideas for projects as challenging as the Barbie mansion?

If you’ve got the goods, then mustard ID will find you job opportunities that’ll make your heart beat faster. We’d love to hear from you, so pick up the phone and call us on 0117 929 6060.