Saturday, June 20, 2015

Real Life Examples: Summer 2016 Edition










As we have talked about before, this house has somewhat of an identity crisis. Mattel generically calls it a 'DreamHouse', we have dubbed it (incorrectly) an 'A Frame', and now Mattel is calling the updated version a 'Beach House'. I live in Southern California and see real life examples of the 1978 Barbie house all over. It is mostly a 1970s contemporary home with Spanish and modern influences. These photos illustrate my observations in similar colors.


Mid century mondrian style coloring and lines. 

1980 house, long sloping roof, white railing in front, red tile roof. 

Socal beach houses with shed roof line

Shed-roof roof line

How I imagine the decor to really be. 

1978 Mattel A Frame Barbie Dream Doll House Red roof yellow floors mod groovy 1970s 1980s custom OOAK


Diagonal slats. 
Drive by of a 1970s split/double shed roof house. 

If the house were real, and you were downstairs looking up into a yellow floor base plate. 
I believe this is an interior of a 70s home that the 1979 Barbie House Designers were going for when they designed the DreamFurniture line. Modern, fun, colorful and very groovy. It wold be nice to have a hanging lamp and stereo to go with the living room set. 

take away the chimneys and middle sections and you have a couple of side pieces to the house, notice the shed roof style roof line and clean, contemporary lines 



Notice the window frame? Hmm, I know I have seen this before someplace. This is the back of a house that does not have a closet or a balcony, and I use foam board to make up the front facade of the second floor, leaving the Cross T bar side to expose the rear facade. 


While the above is a 1910s Canadian row house, it actually features our 1978 Malibu house bump out closet. Still a terrible idea whatever the country or century, there it is. Personally, I think a wardrobe or even using the smallest bedroom as a walk in closet would be a better idea than this odd addition that tells passersby, "This house has crappy closets, have a nice day". 

8 comments:

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  3. Hello, thank you for maintaining this blog. I am sorry about your picture situation, I think they might be hosted by Picasa now. Check out this help forum for some ideas:https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/picasa/1fIH8Mk56bo.

    I have a question, I have a Barbie Dream House J0505. Some of the pink plastic has yellowed. Can I used 40 volume peroxide or Oxyclean to de-yellow it without destroying the pink color?

    Thank you in advance for your reply. My email address: placement100@gmail.com :)

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  4. Hello,
    Would anyone have a photo of how to stack several of these houses into a highrise? I remember seeing a photo of this somewhere and cannot find one now.
    I have three houses that I would like to merge into one.
    Any help on how to do this would be much appreciated!

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    1. yep, the anonymous post from sept 13 is correct, so i highly discourage that since it destroys wall functionality for reconstructing an A frame in the future. HOWEVER, you could use a 1982 cottage without the roof rafters, it provides for a flat surface roof. it could be the first floor garage or lobby. =-)

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  5. You have to cut the support pillars of the middle level. I have always to do that too but not on my original. Wanted to buy another and try.

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  6. I just found this site and have completely painted and decorated the red/yellow one! I wish blog still worked!

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    1. I went into picassa and shared all the pics, i think that worked. i am back for the summer and will be posting more. =-)

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