Things You'll Need:
- Dollhouse
- Odds and ends
- Pink contact paper
- Pink paint
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Step 1
You need to get your child on board to create a Barbie Dream House. She might want exactly what she has seen in commercials. This can be expensive and difficult to re-create. Give her a chance to use her creativity, and turn it into a project you can do together. This way your child will have a unique toy and lasting memories.
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Step 2
Go up to the attic. You probably have an old dollhouse up there from your childhood that is just collecting dust. You can also find these at garage sales or thrift stores. It might not seem special enough to be Barbie's Dream House, but you can breathe new life into it. Think of it as investing sweat equity into a home. This way you'll be able to share your memories with your child and pass on something of value.
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Step 3
Make things to scale. Your dollhouse might seem too small to be Barbie's Dream House. Look at the dollhouse structure to see if you can knock out a few walls. You might even be able to take out an entire floor. Barbie is 11.5 inches tall, so make sure she doesn't bang her head.
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Step 4
Think Pink. This is Barbie's signature color. Barbie Dream Houses are a combination of bubblegum pink and fuchsia. It will instantly seem more like the iconic toy the second you give everything a coat of pink paint. Depending on the surface of your dollhouse, you might be able to paint everything with a can of metallic pink spray paint. This will add extra sparkle. Wallpaper a few of the walls with fun pink contact paper. Press out any air bubbles for a more professional look. This helps delineate the rooms while adding pattern.
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Step 5
Live in a dream world. Barbie's Dream House doesn't have to mirror a realistic house. She might not need a toilet in the bathroom or a home office. Her mansion might only have room for one bedroom. Let your child's imagination soar as she chooses the purpose for each space.
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Step 6
Make Barbie a walk-in closet. This is often omitted from store-purchased dollhouses. Barbie comes equipped with a lot of dresses and shoes. Turn one of the rooms into a place to store her wardrobe by adding several armoires. This will also keep small toy pieces off your child's floor.
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Step 7
Invest in dollhouse furniture. Sure, you can make your own dollhouse furniture, but it's very time consuming. It can even be frustrating. You can often find dollhouse furniture at the dollar store. Barbie's Dream House is filled with plastic furniture. This is basically how you tell which room is which without having to go into laborious detail. It also gives your child the freedom to rearrange things and switch the rooms around.
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Step 8
Accessorize with odds and ends. Look around your house for anything that is pink, or that you can make pink. A small piece of netting can be turned into a bed canopy. Change that mismatched earring into a chandelier. A scrap of faux fur transforms into a rug. This will help you clean out your junk drawer and get your creative juices flowing.
