Step Inside the Competition: Tour Every Fabulous Space in HGTV’s 'Barbie Dreamhouse'

It’s the Biggest Build of All Playtime — and Serious Fun

Just in time for Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster Barbie (debuting in theaters July 21) and smack in the middle of our current obsession with all things pink and fabulous, HGTV is getting serious about the world’s most famous toy house. Four two-person teams of HGTV stars (plus Food Network’s Antonia Lofaso, because epic playdates require epic munchies) are dreaming up even-better-than-real-life versions of iconic Barbie spaces by turning a 4,500-square-foot Southern California home into the ultimate Barbie Dreamhouse. Design and renovation experts and celebrity judges will decide which teams reign supreme each week and go on to the pink carpet finale, where one pair’s work will be crowned the dreamiest of all. Actual Barbie and supermodel Ashley Graham is hosting the proceedings in high style. Come on in for a look at every magical corner of HGTV’s Barbie Dreamhouse.

see more: Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge

A Barbie Star Makes a Cameo Appearance at the Dreamhouse

Ashley dropped contestants' jaws when she rolled up in a life-size version of Barbie's pink Corvette, but those weren't the only hot wheels to make an appearance. This brand-spanking-new Chevy Blazer EV SS plays a key role in Gerwig's movie and the contestant's field trips as they transform the dreamhouse.

Egypt and Mike Tackle the Living Area

Married to Real Estate’s Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson are well-accustomed to living, working, competing and winning together — after all, they were Rock the Block Season 3 champions. Tasked with making over this home, they tossed their standard playbook out the window. “I’m always looking for a way to add value,” Egypt said. “It’s always from a real-estate perspective — but that is a moot issue here!” “We can do whatever we want,” Mike agreed. “This is where we get extremely creative.” Their mission: Give the entryway, living room and dining room a totally ‘90s transformation.

The Entryway, Before

HGTV’s real estate agent looked at hundreds of Southern California homes to find one with the potential to become the Barbie Dreamhouse. This home had a make-it-or-break-it feature: “The steps are giving me life,” Egypt said. “It seemed like every Barbie Dreamhouse I [owned] had these stairs. They'll give us a leg up on the competition.”

The Entryway, After

Egypt and Mike’s eye-popping palette drew inspiration from Totally Hair Barbie, a doll with neon-bright style that debuted in 1992, then went on to be the best-selling Barbie of all time. The show-stopping staircase serving as the design's centerpiece got a coat of high-lacquer, electric-pink paint that gives it the look of plastic. “This is why you guys are the professionals,” Ashley noted. Speaking of plastic …

From: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson

A Totally Toyetic Elevator

… Mike went the extra mile for Team ‘90s both by building a purple Plexiglas elevator to satisfy the judges’ "toyetic" requirement — and sporting head-to-toe acid-wash denim and a fanny pack in the process. What’s "toyetic?" Ashley filled the competitors in: "Every Dreamhouse has playful, toy-like elements. They can be a surprise or dual-purpose, but you need to create at least one of them in your spaces.”

Egypt knew just how to give the entryway that toyetic oomph. “Every great Barbie Dreamhouse had an elevator or a lift,” she said. The elevator doubles as a phone booth for an extra kick of dual-purpose delight.

The Living Room, Before

The living room’s spectacular height gave Egypt and Mike the opportunity to go wild with a two-story, color-blocked fireplace treatment that would celebrate the ultra-confident ‘90s aesthetic. “What we want is for you to come in and have sensory overload,” Egypt said. “You turn around and say, ‘Oh, that’s so Barbie! Oh my gosh, I remember that! Ahh, the fireplace, ahh!’”

The Living Room, After

A semicircular sectional — denim, of course — anchors the sitting area before the Memphis-Design-Style-inspired fireplace surround, which features hand-painted patterns reminiscent of the movement’s playful geometry. Egypt and Mike applied colored films and silhouettes to create “stained glass” windows on either side, channeling similar features in dreamhouses released in 1995 and 1998. Those diverse silhouettes are a nod to Kitty Black Perkins, the former Mattel chief designer of fashion and doll concepts who paid a visit to the Dreamhouse-in-progress and rocked Egypt’s world. “I would never have had a black Barbie growing up if it was not for you,” she told Kitty. “Miss Kitty Black Perkins and her team were responsible for ushering Barbie to become inclusive and diverse; being a mom of three girls, that means a lot,” she said.

From: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson

The Dining Room, Before

Egypt knew banquette seating would factor into this space’s design. “When you think about Barbie, there was a banquette or a foldout almost everywhere in the Dreamhouse,” she said. She and Mike also planned to take full advantage of the tray ceiling and continue the color blocking they began in the living room and entryway.

The Dining Room, After

Now this is a Barbie-worthy entertaining space! A globular white pedestal table anchors both the denim-upholstered banquette and playful acrylic dining chairs, while a trio of neon light-up art gives the feel of walking into a ‘90s Trapper Keeper. Mike and Egypt owe the splatter treatment on the wall behind the banquette to a hot tip from A Very Brady Renovation alum Maureen McCormick, who knows a thing or two about both reimagining iconic pop-culture space and about Barbie. She starred in three Barbie commercials as a child actor.

From: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson

Jasmine and Antonia Dig Into the Kitchen and Family Room

Help! I Wrecked My House’s Jasmine Roth was Rock the Block’s first champion, while Food Network’s cooking-competition veteran Antonia Lofaso is known for taking no prisoners on shows like Cutthroat Kitchen. So, it's not surprising that, when tasked with channeling the where-it-all-started ‘60s in the dreamhouse’s kitchen and family room, they made a bold move: demolishing the wall between their space and Mike and Egypt’s dining room. “It’s kinda like a cave,” Jasmine admitted. “But, if we rip everything out I think we can do a really good job!”

The Kitchen, Before

“I love whimsical elements, I love hidden things, I love to have a little bit of fun with my houses," said Jasmine. "There’s a whole other level we get to create and ideate and come up with for this house that you can’t do in a regular house.”

The Kitchen, After

Now, there’s the spaciousness and flow you’d associate with a Dreamhouse! Antonia and Jasmine wrapped their cabinets in pink vinyl to give them a Barbie feel and supersized the kitchen island to provide additional dining and entertaining space. Ceiling-mounted shelves between the kitchen and dining room balance the space's candy-colored pastels with the sort of wood paneling one would expect in a ‘60s kitchen. Pale-yellow retro appliances are fully functional and delightfully playful.

From: Jasmine Roth

The (Toyetic) Kitchen of Tomorrow

For their first big surprise, Antonia and Jasmine built two button-operated lifts that rise from their kitchen island to reveal perfectly-pink countertop appliances. “The sixties were all about introducing the atomic age and showcasing the house of the future, so we created a hidden, automatic toyetic as a nod to that time,” Jasmine said. An inveterate lover of surprises, Jasmine also concealed the kitchen’s candy-colored pantry behind a wall of shelves that double as a door.

The Family Room, Before

Charged with evoking the era when Barbie’s very first Dreamhouse debuted — in 1962, as a futuristic cardboard playset — Jasmine and Antonia wanted to both evoke that unforgettable look and make their family room feel truly livable. As in the kitchen, they planned to combine the warm, retro look of wood paneling with a playful palette.

The Family Room, After

Welcome home, Barbie! With characteristically midcentury pieces like the arching floor lamp, a vintage television sourced from a local thrift shop, a shag rug and an Atomic Age pendant, the living room cozies up the original cardboard cutouts. Jasmine’s biggest triumph is unquestionably the custom couch, a life-size, upholstered version of the dreamhouse original featuring a pattern-perfect fabric she designed and printed at a specialty shop. “This is the first time in 60 years a cardboard couch is actually becoming fabric!” she exclaimed.

From: Jasmine Roth

The Judges Tour Egypt and Mike’s Spaces

To determine whose work was the dreamiest, HGTV assembled a star-studded panel of judges. HGTV Smart Home designer (and proud owner of nine Barbie Dreamhouses, all displayed in her dining room) Tiffany Brooks is, as she put it, “obsessed with Barbie.” Stealthy guest judge Maureen McCormick swooped back in after visiting the unsuspecting competitors mid-week and offering “casual” advice on their work. All-around arbiter of American glamour (and Barbie collector and collaborator) Jonathan Adler served as the main judge. “I have been all up in Barbie’s grill for 15 years, so to be here is so exciting [and] a little bit nuts, and I cannot wait to see what you guys have perpetrated,” he said. So, what did everyone think?

“I’ve got to give you props for just hardcore design chops. The scale of color blocking and patterns is all on point,” Jonathan said. “Your furniture looks like doll furniture but it’s totally chic, totally stylish, and everything is functional!” Tiffany added. Maureen loved the toyetic: “The fact that this is an elevator and a telephone booth is brilliant.”

The Judges Tour Jasmine and Antonia’s Spaces

Resident Barbie aficionado Tiffany knew the real deal when she saw it in the family room: “We are definitely in the OG dollhouse,” she noted. Jonathan appreciated how the just-so ceiling color carried up from the floor and through the kitchen to the living room. He also fell hard for the kitchen-island toyetic. “I want this in my kitchen today. I sincerely want that feature in my life,” he confessed. Maureen did a bit of time traveling: “I look at this and just feel such warmth. I mean, this was a house that I played in all the time,” she said.

SEE BTS FUN: Go Behind the Scenes of HGTVs ‘Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge’

TV Dinners for Everybody!

At the end of the first week of competition, the judges declared Jasmine and Antonia’s homage to the very first Dreamhouse the winner. Could Antonia’s 21st-century, gourmet versions of midcentury meals have tipped the scales in their favor? We’ll see what she serves up for the finale — and who lands the ultimate spot on the pink carpet — in the weeks to come.

Jon and Kristina Make a Splash in the Bedroom Suite

Farmhouse Fixer’s Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin have more experience taking properties back to the 1880s than they do in taking them back to the 1980s, but they know their design (and, ahem, pop culture) history inside and out. “That was like the best time of my life, the 1980s,” Jon recalled. “That’s when the whole New Kids thing started and [I] was traveling all around the world.”

“As designers we do so many clients’ houses, and now Barbie is on our list of clients,” he mused. “It’s like getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Which … I already have.” He and Kristina were born ready to take Barbie’s bedroom and bath back to the oh-so-fabulous ‘80s.

The Bedroom, Before

“Hopefully there’s some good wood or something underneath this carpet, ‘cause this is horrendous,” Jon said. “Hey, I had wall-to-wall carpeting growing up in my bedroom in the ‘80s!” Kristina countered. “We should rip this old stuff out and put new carpet in!”

The Bedroom, After

Drawing inspiration from a field trip to Mattel and a Dreamhouse canopy bed they found there, Jon and Kristina created a totally rad sleep space. With lavender lighting, a custom-cut heart-lattice headboard and a crystalline globe chandelier, Barbie can have the ultimate elevated slumber party — complete with a toyetic feature courtesy of Jon. The bed plays a recording of his voice welcoming Barbie to dreamland. Painted paneling lends the walls sophistication and dimension, and the glittering paper they chose for the ceiling is pure fun. Great Shape Barbie (released in 1984) would feel right at home on the pitch-perfect, pink-and-teal stationary bike between the bedroom and the bath.

SEE MORE: Take Meetings From Inside HGTV's 'Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge' With These Fab Zoom Backgrounds

From: Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin

The Bath Suite, Before

An over-the-top shower and a giant soaking tub were must-haves: “I remember seeing Barbie’s bathtub as a kid with all these bubbles. She just loved a bubble bath,” Kristina recalled. The interior wall, on the other hand, had to make room for a long vanity and makeup station. As for the carpet? Once again, Kristina lobbied hard for plush flooring — but Jon stood firm on Team Tile. “Bathroom carpet is even grosser than bedroom carpet!”

The Bath Suite, After

Opulent, gray-veined white quartz now frames a massive bath and a perfectly pink shower. The salmon-pink ceiling glitters with a faceted bubble chandelier, and an oversize carnation-print feature wall boasts an expansive double vanity. Even cooler: Sarah Jessica Parker co-designed this wallpaper and a blue version of it adorns Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment in Max’s And Just Like That.

From: Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin

Go Big or Go Home

“We had our builder create a brush 25 times the size of [Barbie’s plastic original], which is going to be another cool toyetic feature in our [bathroom],” Kristina explained. “This is going to put a smile on everybody’s face the minute they walk in.”

From: Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin

Alison and Ty Step Up in Ken’s Den

Windy City Rehab’s Alison Victoria competed in two seasons of Rock the Block and judged a third. Designer, craftsman and HGTV host Ty Pennington was a ‘70s kid. It should go without saying that these two were ready to hit the ground running when tasked with giving Ken’s den — his very first space in a Dreamhouse — a 1970s groove. To get inspired for the project, they turned to dance pro Allison Holker Boss for help choreographing a routine for the judges, because of course they did.

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Ken's Den, Before

With plenty of space and storage to work with, Alison and Ty felt good about their space’s bones. "In the real world you have to worry about functionality," said Ty. "[But] we get to just go back to being kids and our imaginations get to go wild,” Alison finished.

Ken's Den, After

“With Ken’s den we’re going a little moody. We’re going a little sexy. Our inspiration was [1977’s] SuperStar Ken, so we’re going to go with a blue and fuchsia,” Alison explained. High-gloss paint covers the cabinets and carries up to the ceiling, while deep, textural curtains, carpeting and seating envelop a seemingly bottomless LED dance floor. Ken’s wood-paneled changing booth at the far end of the den is built atop a motor and doubles as a rotating dance booth.

From: Ty Pennington and Alison Victoria

Ken's Den, Before

Mod Hair Ken [1973] inspired Alison and Ty to build a blinged-out prep space along the den’s interior wall and counter space. “I think the thing about Ken that I can also identify with is every day you wake up and want to have a different look,” Ty mused. “We are doing an accessory station for Ken over here, but maybe we need to have a wig station in there too,” Alison said. “Almost like Ken’s a superhero in the sense that he opens this up and he can choose whoever and whatever style he wants to be that day,” Ty concluded.

Ken's Den, After

Alison deployed a tried-and-true Windy City Rehab detail. She installed brass shim stock — a thin, pliable metal film that’s “just such an easy way to turn something a little drab into something super glam” — on the wall behind the accessory station. She and Ty used a CNC machine (a computer-controlled manufacturing tool) to cut out lattice that replicated the doors and window boxes of the 1979 A-frame Dreamhouse. Then they sanded, painted and installed that geometric lattice as the accessory station’s sliding doors. “The 1979 A-frame [is] architecturally and visually the best,” Alison said. The burnt-orange tone of its roof pops up in portions of the shag carpet and accent pillows on the sectional.

From: Ty Pennington and Alison Victoria

The Majestic 'Stache Stash

A tribute to Mod Hair Ken wouldn’t be anywhere near complete without an array of sunglasses and moustaches, of course. Ty and Alison tucked this treasure trove into the cabinet behind the old-school logo on the accessory wall.

The Judges Tour Jon and Kristina’s Spaces

For the second week of the Dreamhouse Challenge, Entertainment Tonight cohost Nischelle Turner joined Jonathan Adler and Tiffany Brooks as a guest judge: “I’m kind of obsessed with Barbie. That is my secret,” she said. She fell hard for Barbie’s bedroom: “I think I expected something not so luxurious, so elevated,” she marveled. “This could be a room I could live in!” Tiffany was impressed as well: “I think what you guys did with the architecture is incredible — to paint all the moldings and the wall and the frames exactly the same, I love that. And what you did with the glitter ceiling is incredible."

Jonathan gave the team props for their canopy bed and the floral wallpaper, but he sided with Kristina on Team Bathroom Carpet: “You could have done wall-to-wall carpeting and brought it up over the [tub] platform, which would have been genius and what Barbie would have done. You chose not to and I’m disappointed!” Bathroom carpet, please don’t take this as encouragement.

The Judges Tour Alison and Ty’s Space

Dreamhouse expert Tiffany loved the homages to the 1979 A-frame and echoed Alison’s observation: “The most architecturally significant dream house ever,” she said. Nischelle was fixated on the lounge’s dance floor: “It got me and wouldn’t let me go. I can’t stop thinking about it,” she confessed. Jonathan, in turn, appreciated the boldness of their palette. “I’ve gotta give you a shout-out for using orange and avocado. They seem like opposites, but they just work perfectly,” he noted.

Jon and Kristina nailed the elevated-‘80s aesthetic, but Ty and Alison served the mood, and “I felt like I was Ken. I felt like suddenly I was living it,” Jonathan said — and Ken’s Den moved one step closer to the pink carpet. Will Jonathan revisit the wig and moustache he donned here to judge next week’s competition? We’re crossing our fingers.

Keith and Evan Design the Front Façade and Yard

Bargain Block’s Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas established their cred as home-transformation auteurs in their home base of Detroit and on the third season of Rock the Block, and their fellow Dreamhouse Challenge competitors were wise to fear their creativity. Their first power move when tasked with Barbie-worthy curb appeal? “[We] don’t want people driving by and being like, ‘Maybe that’s the Barbie house,’” Keith said. “It has to scream Barbie house.” A larger-than-life toyetic feature was just the ticket. “We should create a massive handle to sit on the gable of the house which will be our statement piece for the whole exterior.”

Keith credited Barbie with steering him into his profession. “Barbie’s Dreamhouse was what got me into houses,” he explained. “It was fun to do those little [Barbie] projects [as a kid], and it turned into a whole career.”

The Front Façade and Yard, Before

Tasked with channeling Barbie’s aesthetic in the 1990s, Keith and Evan knew they were starting strong. “The good thing is the house is already kind of ‘90s, but it’s not ‘90s Barbie Dreamhouse,” Keith observed. They planned to remove the home’s existing brickwork to create a more welcoming entryway and bring in pops of color with the landscaping.

The challenge: Finding a color palette that felt toylike without tipping into kitsch: “The inspiration for the paint color [we’re using is] the 1995 Barbie Dreamhouse, but we thought a lot about making sure the house wasn’t a cartoon of itself,” Keith said.

The Front Façade and Yard, After

There’s certainly no mystery as to whether this is the Dreamhouse. Keith and Evan’s steel-reinforced, 900-pound handle announces to the whole neighborhood (and any low-flying planes) that this is Barbie’s HQ. Fuchsia paint on the ornate mailbox and an ultra-'90s, three-tiered fountain anchor the landscaping and complement exterior details such as the second-story window boxes. Meanwhile, paler shutters and a soft pink garage door echo the 1995 Dreamhouse’s Victorian-inspired hue. The graphic striped awnings and entryway curtains, in turn, are both timelessly chic — an explicit callback to the now-iconic black-and-white swimsuit the first Barbie doll wore for her 1959 debut. Expansive beds of pink, white, purple and red petunias lead visitors from the sidewalk to Barbie’s over-the-top entryway.

From: Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas

The Front Porch, Before

“I really want it to be playful and creative but also just classic Barbie,” Keith said. “I was so happy there was a resurgence of black and white in the ‘90s because we can tie [that] into our design.” Of course, he and Evan also knew it had to have a wow factor: “[With] this entrance I want you to just be transported into this house,” he added.

“I feel like we could do something interesting with a doorbell, because now everyone has smart doorbells. But what if we went back to a ‘90s phone so when Ken gets here he has to call Barbie, like, ‘Hey girl, I’m here’?” Evan asked. “Radical,” Keith concurred.

The Front Porch, After

With a serendipitous burst of inspiration from their team’s at-home Barbie fan (who will win a once-in-a-lifetime stay in the Dreamhouse if they emerge victorious in the Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge finale), Keith used foam forms and dried florals to create Chilean flamingos that beckon guests to the front door. Those couture-influenced birds are equipped with motion sensors that trigger arcs of water (fed by lines concealed in their legs) that dance over the walkway: totally toyetic. Speaking of toyetics, zoom in on the right side of the fuchsia front door for a close-up of the pale pink cell phone visitors can use to announce their arrival. That bit of play is an excellent introduction to the ‘90s-themed entryway Egypt and Mike created just inside.

From: Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas

Brian and Mika Go Wild in Barbie’s Backyard

Who could compete with a team that claims the Dreamhouse as part of their design origin story? 100 Day Dream Home's Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt, Rock the Block champions (and judges!) and the swashbuckling king and queen of Tampa’s more-is-more renovation scene, that’s who. “If we could have hand-picked a space, [the backyard] would have been it. We’re from Florida. We know indoor-outdoor living,” Brian said.

They were also thrilled with their instructions to give their space the Y2K treatment. “Lucky for us we got a decade when we were alive and we were thriving,” Mika said. “Those were my party years, and we got the spot where the party’s gonna be, so I’m going to tap into those college years and we’re going to relive it.”

The Backyard, Before

“Okay, this slide is great, but it also is so standard,” Mika said. (You can see the bottom of the short, white water slide in the pool’s upper left corner.) “In the movie, Barbie has a mega adventure slide coming from the second story of the house, and that’s the fun factor. Two slides are better than one, that’s all I’m saying.” “I think we should put up a big topiary next to the pool here,” Brian responded. “Something that lets people know this is Barbie’s backyard.”

Brian and Mika loved the look of the existing palm trees, but the yard’s naturalistic palette left something to be desired. “[I]t does need some color pop,” Brian noted. They drew inspiration from classic Barbie pinks and a doll that epitomized the early aughts: Surf City Ken, who debuted in 2000 with turquoise-and-yellow swim trunks and a lime green surfboard.

The Backyard, After

When a flimsy first-floor porch roof thwarted their plans to mount a second water slide to the house, the Kleinschmidts pivoted to — what else? — an umbrella-topped lifeguard tower for Ken that paired with a killer pink spiral staircase to create the space’s undeniable focal point. Pastel boards line the fence they installed at the edge of the yard, and yet another surf accessory creates a swim-up bar in the pool. The massive topiary Brian commissioned is the perfect spot for Barbie and guests to take selfies. (“Because you know Barbie does selfies,” Mika said.) Eye-popping pink turf makes the patio Dreamhouse-worthy. Even the existing slide now sports a fresh coat of lavender paint.

From: Brian Kleinschmidt and Mika Kleinschmidt

The Backyard, Before

“I like having an outdoor kitchen. The problem is I don’t like the placement of this [one],” Brian said. “I mean, if Barbie’s out here grillin’, she can’t be talking to all her friends that are in the pool!” He planned to rotate and rebuild the grilling station between the covered patio’s outermost pillar and a stand of palms — “because look, you have a view of the mountains and a view of the pool!”

The Backyard, After

A custom “Barbie-cue” (complete with custom Barbie-script grill plates and life-size plastic food) now anchors a full-fledged outdoor kitchen and living room with cushioned wicker hanging chairs, a massive outdoor sectional and even more of that magnificent pink turf. The Kleinschmidts centered a lavender Barbie silhouette in the turf just beyond the Dreamhouse’s sliding glass doors as a tribute to their at-home fan, who demonstrated his commitment to his favorite doll by having that same silhouette tattooed on his arm. “I feel like everyone who’s competing in this [challenge] will be partying in our space at the end of this,” Mika said.

From: Brian Kleinschmidt and Mika Kleinschmidt

The Judges Tour Keith and Evan’s Space

For the third week of judging, Jonathan Adler and Tiffany Brooks got an assist from actress and entrepreneur Marsai Martin: “I love renovation and design in general, but on top of that, Barbie is my No. 1 favorite toy,” she said. Naturally, she responded to Keith and Evan’s big-ticket statement piece: “The handle was the first thing that caught my eye,” she said. “It literally looks like a toy house; it’s freaking me out!” Jonathan concurred.

Playful as it was, the design’s sophistication also impressed the judges. “Black-and-white stripes are always the right move,” Jonathan said. “It’s so tasteful!” Tiffany agreed. The fountain and flamingos, in turn, brought the best of both worlds: “I think the water features are great,” Jonathan added.

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The Judges Tour Brian and Mika's Space

Jonathan’s favorite feature was clear. “For me it’s the pink turf — obviously Barbie has pink turf,” he said. “I think it’s just really fun; I kind of want to just chillax here.” Tiffany praised the surfboard bar for channeling Y2K Dreamhouse style, and when she got to the new waterslide, well … “I am dumbfounded right now, I really am,” she said. “I can honestly tell you in the entire house this is the first time I’ve felt like I was engulfed in a playset.” “I’m a California kid [like Barbie] so I’m always in the backyard chilling by the pool,” Marsai said, “and it was incredible [that] you guys put us in that state, but you Barbied it [and] elevated it even more!” Mika’s prophecy came true: Everyone wanted to stick around at their pool party, and they advanced to the fourth and final week of competition.

Christina and James Make History in Barbie’s Closet

Christina on the Coast’s Christina Hall and James Bender were ecstatic when they learned that they would be creating Barbie’s closet. “The dream closet to me is everything,” Christina said. “This is the one we wanted because my favorite part of Barbie was getting her dressed up!” The duo’s assignment was broader than their competitors’ decade-specific challenges. They were tasked with considering the past, present and future and developing a space that reflected the “best of Barbie.”

“James and I have collectively remodeled hundreds of houses, and a lot of the houses we do they kind of want the same thing,” Christina explained. “So for me, this is a dream come true, because I want to be able to step outside the box and do something incredible. And when it comes to decor, James and I both love pulling from different eras.”

The Closet and Dressing Room, Before

The bad news: “Right now we’ve got a ‘90s-style bedroom with some carpet and basic colors,” Christina noted. The excellent news: “This is a big room for a closet!” She knew she wanted to replicate the feel of a never-ending fashion show. “I want to see shoes on display, all the generations, floor to ceiling.” James was right there with her: “Maybe we can have a showcase wall where we have one cubby for each decade [featuring] a full outfit.”

The Closet and Dressing Room, After

With inspiration from the 2023 Dreamhouse, Christina and James created a stylish retreat that displays iconic ensembles and features a life-size Barbie box to showcase the dress created for her 50th anniversary. (Christina tried it on herself, naturally.) James sourced the room’s fabulous pair of curvaceous chairs from a Palm Springs vintage store, and Christina turned her memory of her grandfather’s train sets into a fabulous toyetic feature. Since a moving dress carousel would have gobbled up too much of the room’s precious floor space, she designed a track that encircles the ceiling and treats Barbie to an endless parade of hats.

From: Christina Hall and James Bender

Pattern Play

The Atomic Age-inspired wallpaper James and Christina chose for the ceiling features graphic geometric figures that seem to float against its solid background, and the bold cruise-striped pattern they hung in the vestibule is a pitch-perfect evocation of Barbie’s 1959 Roman Holiday travel ensemble. The toyetic feature at eye level is a true showstopper: a “Barbie ATM” presents a touch screen that invites users to choose among sunglasses, a purse, shoes and a drink and dispenses their selection.

From: Christina Hall and James Bender

Michel and Anthony Go to Work in the Office

As the reigning champions of Rock the Block, Luxe for Less’s Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle arrived with battle-tested confidence that they could get down to business in Barbie’s first-ever home office. Minimal footprint? Barbie stands on her tiptoes anyway. “Our room is small, it’s going to be a small office, but we’ve learned how to make that shine on Luxe for Less,” Anthony said. “We know how to make a small room feel like a beautiful jewel box that you want to stay in forever. Also, we always bring the influence of fashion into whatever we’re doing, so that’s what makes us such a powerful team. We have the influence of couture and interior design coming into the same space.” Like their competition, they were instructed to reflect every decade of Barbie’s adventures in their space. Game on, Christina and James.

The Office, Before

Michel and Anthony planned to create the illusion of more space by carrying bookcases all the way to the ceiling and covering a wall with sumptuous fabric. Michel also insisted on an overscale desk: “I know this is a small room, but [there’s] something about a big statement in a tiny room [that] I love,” he said.

They envisioned a palette that took a sharp turn from their competitors’ choices. “The predictable route is to use bold, bright pink, but that’s just not us,” Michel said. “So let’s go with a more sophisticated and subtle pink[.]”

The Office, After

Did we mention the fabulous overscale desk was going to be an aquarium? That’s Marine Biologist Barbie, pursuing just one of her 250-plus careers. The ceiling’s bold black-and-white striped wallpaper helps conceal the office’s toyetic video conferencing screen (now showing the iconic 1959 look that stripe references). Wallpaper with vintage illustrations evokes both classic designs and Barbie’s knack for keeping pace with contemporary trends: “[It] has Black Barbies, brown Barbies, white Barbies, and it feels like now but it’s vintage,” Michel said with approval. The dressmaker’s figure against that feature wall displays Anthony’s labor of love, an architectural outfit that pays homage to Day-to-Night Barbie (whose hat stands on the desk). “Most of us start out in the morning and have to transition to the evening; Barbie just taught us how to do it with excellence and class,” he noted.

From: Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle

The Ultimate Archive

Michel created a one-of-a-kind library with book spines referencing Barbie’s roles, “so [she] can be inspired wherever she looks in her office,” he explained. Iconic accessories make additional references to those roles, and the bookcases themselves complement both the home office’s sophisticated pink palette and the arched entryway that leads visitors to the room.

From: Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle

The Judges Tour James and Christina’s Space

Who better to judge Barbie’s fashion lair and the space where she gets down to business than designer Christian Siriano (who’s dressed Ashley Graham and Barbie)? He joined Jonathan Adler and Tiffany Brooks for the final round of competition, and promptly announced that he needed Christina and James’s closet, dressing area and Barbie box for himself. “I love all the display elements; you’re able to really showcase how fabulous Barbie’s clothes are,” he said. He also loved the toyetic hat conveyor: “It’s so the future of Barbie.”

Jonathan pronounced James’s vintage chairs “the perfect shape.” “They capture the glamour and romance that we are looking for!” Tiffany echoed Christian’s closet envy: “I want everything here in my closet,” she confessed.

The Judges Tour Michel and Anthony’s Space

The couture-inspired office’s historic touches resonated with Christian. “You really thought about all the elements of Barbie — that she really is an icon and she’s done so many things in her career,” he said. He also loved the ceiling’s stripes: “They’re just so graphic and powerful.”

“The scale play in here is really good,” Jonathan said. “And the arches are on-trend.” “You brought Barbie into tomorrow’s tomorrow,” Tiffany added. Only one vision of Barbie’s future could advance to the pink carpet — and Christina and James’s closet and dressing room got the judges’ nod. Would its fabulous features carry them all the way to victory?

SEE MORE: Here’s How the Barbie Movie Team Created All Those Fantastic Spaces

The HGTV Barbie Dreamhouse Opens Its Doors

A well-dressed array of guests gathered to celebrate and tour the completed Dreamhouse, including all eight pairs of competitors. Each visitor who walked the pink carpet received a voting token to cast for his or her favorite space — and though the count was close, one destination emerged as the dreamiest of all.

Who’s Ready for a Pool Party?

At the end of the day, who can resist a two-story fuchsia water slide? Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt’s backyard extravaganza reigned supreme, and Mika’s prediction that everyone would want to party by the pool came true again. Marcos, the fan whose Barbie tattoo inspired the pink turf’s silhouette design, won a stay in the Dreamhouse — and you can get the whole story here. (Spoiler alert: As in Barbie Land, every day was the best day ever.)

WINNERS' INTERVIEW: Interview: Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt Win HGTV's 'Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge'

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Step Inside the Competition: Tour Every Fabulous Space in HGTV’s 'Barbie Dreamhouse'

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