Ashley Graham and a team of HGTV designers are building a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse.
Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge will premiere this summer with the supermodel hosting as eight teams of HGTV stars transform a Southern California home into an iconic Barbie-worthy abode. Once the property is complete, one Barbie superfan will win a stay at the house.
The four-part series will see experts and one Food Network chef overhaul different areas of the home. Each section has a specific theme, like an 1960s atomic age kitchen, a ’70s disco vibe den for Ken, and an ’80s glam bedroom.
“I cannot wait to see Barbie’s signature style get the life-sized treatment in an actual home,” says Graham. “She holds such a special place in my heart, especially since Mattel created a one-of-a-kind doll of me back in 2016. It feels like such a full circle moment now that I have a hand in the creation of her real-life Dreamhouse.”
The show will have celebrity guests and “a plethora of Barbie surprises,” according to a press release. The network’s head of content, Loren Ruch, also shared in the release that the show is a “visually stunning payoff for millions of fans who want to see their favorite stars bring a treasured childhood icon to life.”
Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge will feature Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson (Married to Real Estate); Jasmine Roth (Help! I Wrecked My House) and Antonia Lofaso (Beachside Brawl); Ty Pennington (Rock the Block) and Alison Victoria (Windy City Rehab); Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin (Farmhouse Fixer); Christina Hall and James Bender (Christina on the Coast); Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas (Bargain Block); Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt (100 Day Dream Home); and Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle Williams (Luxe for Less).
Smith Boyd commented on the Instagram announcement for Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, saying “BARBIE’s outta the bag !!!!! Definitely the most fun I’ve ever had designing! What an honor to work with this #icon.” Hall chimed in that she’s “super excited!” And Thomas promised the show is “Gonna be so fun and EXTRA!”
It’s a massive year for Barbie, with the Mattel toy getting her own movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. The Warner Bros. film is set to hit theaters on July 21. Warner Bros. Discovery Inc is also the parent company of HGTV.
Hype around the film also helped spawn a fashion and interior design movement dubbed Barbiecore, which embraces all things hot pink and plastic.