While we can thank Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie for the truly A-plus photos of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling rollerblading in matching neon Spandex, we can also thank the film for the rise of a newly coined design moment: Barbiecore.
Yes, there’s another “core” aesthetic moment happening (also on the list: cottagecore, regencycore, goblincore), and this one is pretty much as it sounds—a movement centered around flouncy touches like hot pink, frills, and rhinestones. Google searches for “Barbiecore” soared this summer, and celebrities like Anne Hathaway and Zendaya have embraced the palette in their red carpet wardrobes.
Incorporating Barbiecore into your home decor is a fine line: Too much, and you’ll go full-on Dream House. That’s why we asked three local designers to give us tips on how to use the trend in ways that are more subtle allusion, rather than waiting on Skipper and Ken to come over for a rager.
Bedding
“To me, nothing screams Barbie like pink velvet bedding,” says DC designer Evelyn Pierce Smith. “It is glamorous and feminine like Barbie, and is soft and inviting and feels luxurious.”
Forego the Barbie sleeping bag for this pink velvet pillow from Anthropologie and a pink velvet West Elm quilt. The vibes are Barbie-meets-old Hollywood glamour, not actual plastic doll bed.
Wallpaper
Another way to subtly inject the iconic blonde figurine into your home: A touch of pink wallpaper.
“For a Barbiecore moment that does not dominate the entire room, wallpaper the interior of a cabinet with a whimsical pink wallpaper,” says DC designer Carmel Greer. “Wallpapering the interior of a glass cabinet can be an unexpected moment in a room, or if you are keeping your Barbiecore on the down-low, wallpaper the interior of a bar cabinet or kitchen bar area.”
Greer recommends using this WallShoppe wallpaper sold by Maisonette for a literal take on the Barbie trend, or opting for this serpentine Hygge & West wallpaper for something a bit more elevated.
Furniture
Actual furniture > plastic Barbie furniture. You can embody the Barbster without resorting to something childish—plus, many of these pieces make for fun statements, says DC designer Mariella Cruzado. “They showcase some of the feminine silhouettes and fun curves that are signature of the icon we all know and love,” she says.
Cruzado recommends checking out TOV Furniture for products like this mauve swivel chair, a lip-shaped velvet settee in hot pink, a blush bed frame, or a very fun tassled lamp.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
