Barbiecore has become one of the most prominent fashion and interior design trends of the year. Known for its hues of nostalgic, soft pink, Barbiecore has primarily been driven by director Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie film, a star-studded affair that features Hollywood A-listers Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the iconic duo of Barbie and Ken. While Barbiecore has certainly made its presence known in everything from celebrity fashion to new makeup lines, many are concerned if the new style will stand the test of time and remain relevant in the years to come. Joa Studholme, a color curator for the paint brand Farrow & Ball, recently examined Barbiecore and gave lovers of the new style a few ideas for how to implement it in the designs of their home.
Studholme has been in the interior design industry for several decades and has authored two bestselling books on the subject for Farrow & Ball entitled How to Decorate and Recipes for Design. Having joined the well-known paint company in 1997, Studholme has worked to create amazing color ranges and has even been behind some of the biggest trends in interior design paint. Looking at Barbiecore, Studholme says that she is reminded of another famous pink color trend of recent years. For a time, the style of millennial pink became the signature design choice of a generation. While these tones of pink were more muted, Studholme says that the Barbiecore style embraces the happiness and pep of the color. In giving her advice to homeowners on how to effectively utilize Barbiecore in their design, Studholme advises two shades of the color, Sulking Room Pink and Fruit Fool.
Looking at Sulking Room Pink first, Studholme says that homeowners should consider painting both the walls and ceilings of their intended room in the color to develop a powerful Barbiecore flare. Studholme contends that painting the entire room in Sulking Room Pink provides a high degree of warmth to the space and makes it feel inviting for guests. Studholme adds that homeowners looking to embrace the youthfulness of the Barbiecore movement should also consider adding a white trim to rooms painted in Sulking Room Pink. Meanwhile, homeowners seeking a more subdued look should consider pairing their Sulking Room Pink with a darker tone, such as Paean Black.
Studholme adds that homeowners looking for an alternative way of utilizing Barbiecore in their home décor should consider pairing a pastel pink with a darker shade of brown or black. Studholme exemplifies her idea by using Fruit Fool pink with Cola, a shade of Farrow & Ball’s dark brown offerings, in a kitchen cabinet. Painting the outside of the cabinet Cola and the interior in Fruit Fool, Studholme says that the color palette creates a feeling of happiness in a home, especially if homeowners add pink decorations to the interior background. Referring to this design choice as a bohemian style, Studholme also recommends pairing Fruit Fool with shades of white paint. Studholme points out that in this manner, the space takes on a completely different feel and gives a fun, independent aura that will strongly endear itself to lovers of Barbiecore.
Like Studholme, interior designers throughout the industry advise those interested in adopting Barbiecore into their homes to remember that the style is a balance of function and whimsy. While still needing to maintain the basic styling of a modern home, Barbiecore allows homeowners to inject a degree of nostalgia and remembrance of better times into their lives guided by the hues of one of the world’s most beloved toys. In following a set of guidelines established by masters of the design world, any homeowner can turn their humble abode into Barbie’s Dreamhouse.
