Hi friends, with the Barbie movie being the talk of town everyone it is thinking pink!! My family all came to Houston for my Mom’s Birthday, and we jumped on that everything Barbie bandwagon to see what the movie was all about! Of course, if you went, you would see Ken matters too! The movie “Barbie” scored a $377 million opening weekend, which made if the biggest debut for a film directed by a woman -which is fitting-(Greta Gerwig).

I think everyone’s favorite part was snapping a picture inside the life-sized Barbie box with a background of the Barbie Dream House. When I was young, I did love my Barbies, but the way I played with my favorite dolls was making furnished houses for them complete with painted treatments on the wall’s ceilings, and floors. My creations were made out of old boxes, used spools of thread, cans, fabric remnants, milk cartons, thimbles- anything that was to be thrown away.

The first Barbie Dreamhouse was released in 1962- the year I was born! You can still purchase today here! It was Barbie’s, studio apartment when she lived alone, made from cardboard furniture and little plastic hangers in the closet. Maybe Barbie taught me about recycling, and sustainability. Maybe it was this doll icon which helped me discover my love of interior design, furniture design and wall treatments. Well, she certainly inspired me to love pink! Maybe not her hot pink tones but my versions, the barely blushes, which Segreto is known for today!

30 years ago, the interiors and their design were mainly decided by the lady of the house where the man made the outside decisions. I rarely spoke to the husband about what they wanted or liked. I have seen a great shift in this during my career and I really enjoy working with both heads of households now, devising a backdrop for their home which resonates with them both! This is a Ken doll from the 60’s sold on ebay!

Barbie, Barbara Millicent Roberts, named after the creator’s daughter, debuted at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959, selling for $3’s. She was dressed in a black and white swimsuit. The Barbie in the movie was stereotypical Barbie and was all about pink, however, there are Barbies from a multitude of different professions and ethnicities, giving Barbie so many options for decor.

So-How Would You Design Your Barbie Home?!

Malibu Barbie released in 1971, is one of the most iconic Barbies. Although not proven, it has been said that Mattel took inspiration from the 1060’s Starlett Sharon Tate who played a surfer name Malibu in the movie “Don’t Make Waves” before her tragic death. This Malibu Barbie looks like it sold for $2.37 back in the day and now can be found on ebay for $299!

If I was Malibu Barbie, I think I would want my house to have this vibe! Raised gesso palms over a plaster base!! Being in cool tones of the ocean or could be pretty in pink! Make it extra special by creating a paneled effect on the bottom with a hand-painted stencil like these examples in our showroom!!

Gold’n Glamour Barbie, a limited production item, is ready for a day on the town and then can glide right into throwing a dinner party! This one from eBay is a steel for $160 some were selling for double that!!

I think she would entertain beautifully in this dining room, where we hand-painted a mural based on inspirational photos by one of Houston’s design stars, Benjamin Johnston, and the chic owner’s artwork! On his website Ben says he leans toward Classic, Curated and Cool and this room is all of that and more! I can’t wait to see the scones up and the drapery hung!!

Barbie has cultures from all over the world represented like this Moroccan Barbie found on Amazon. With so many textures and beautiful patterns represented in this part of the world how would you design your Moroccan style Barbie home?

We were fortunate enough to work with designer extraordinaire Nicholas Proietti, who’s imagination and keen eye for detail has pushed our Segreto team to think out of the box! As down to earth and nice as he is talented, Nicholas is based in San Francisco, and travels afar creating amazing interiors all over the world. Thanks to Allan Edwards Builders Inc. and all the talented teams that were involved, Nicolas’s creation of a Moroccan paradise was brought to life in the center of Houston!! The mosaic mirrors embedded in the venetian plaster walls were a first for us!! The plaster shower gave a quite complement to all the exquisite hand-done tile selected for the project!!

Groovy Barbie from the 60’s is a collector doll now. I found some on Amazon that can be yours with just one click! Hot pink and teal would not be my pick for decor, so I picked some decor which would give a groovy vibe in a sophisticated way. Back in the day my mom made all my Barbie clothes for me- of course they had to match their decor!

This butler’s bar area became a groovy place all of its own! Designer Lindsey Herod, who looks like a Barbie herself, has an amazing eye for color and mixing patterns!! Balancing the floral in the formal dining’s, she chose a playful stripe in the butler’s bar, which enhanced the graceful curve of the ceiling and created a space all on its own! Getting those corners to line up perfectly was definitely a feat for our team, but so proud of them- they executed it beautifully!!

This is from our “Groovy Art Series” which we created from plaster! This particular piece coated in a soft neutral blush, it would beautifully fit in in any color palette or any pattern! Yes! Our art gallery is back in our new showroom!! I love having the space to showcase our staff’s creative endeavors!!

If you love gardening or just the positive energy nature provides, Rose may be your barbie inspiration!! So, what are the possibilities for your Barbie dreamhouse??

A member of our Segreto Creative Team and daughter Kirby, limewashed her entry from the Segreto Palette Illusion SFDB-0126 and painted a hand-done floral scene using Moonbeam SF-004 to bring in the tones of the trim. Looks like Millie and Moose feel like they are enjoying the outdoors while they are waiting Kirby to return from work!

Another project of Kirby’s for the talented designer Catherine Brooks Giuffre , who could be the model for Designer Barbie, also has that garden feel. I can’t wait to see this one furnished! This rendition is also hand-painted and not stenciled, giving it a one-of-a-kind application. Because iridescent metalic is used over plaster, it feels like a fine silk wallcovering!

Thank you, Erin Stetzer of Stetzer Builders, who has used our paint for her for the amazing, elevated homes with quality for the lovely shout out of Segreto’s new paint inline in U.S. News! Below is a blurb but read the full article here. Erin is such a nice person and shares so much information which is invaluable if you are renovating or building a house on your own. Pull up her website to look at her beautiful projects and follow her journal and youtube videos for priceless information on building or renovating!! She would be the perfect pick to build a Barbie Dreamhouse of your own!

For some homeowners, the thrill of the hunt is in looking at paint samples and computerized renderings of what their homes will look like in certain colors. But even with the seemingly countless color choices, homeowners may want to consider further customization.

“We’re starting to see a shift from solely picking a color from brands like Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore to picking a color and then adding or subtracting a hint of red or green to achieve the perfect exterior hue,” says Erin Stetzer, owner, president and project Executive of Stetzer Builders located in Houston.

Stetzer suggests looking to smaller paint manufacturers that might offer more customization options. Her firm has worked with Segreto Finishes, also in Houston, whose line of paints coordinates with interior plaster finishes. “It’s a fantastic way to seamlessly blend the exterior with the interior,” she says.

We have found once people use our paints, and realize the cost is comparable to Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore’s high-quality products that they become loyal to the line, so we are offering a promotion through August 31st!!! Read about my daughter’s Sammy and Kirby’s use of all of our paints, and plasters in the Segreto palette to transform their recently purchased homes here and here to Barbie dream homes of their own! Give us a call at our warehouse 713-640-5225 to order your paint today or set an appointment in our new showroom for a free color consultation if you purchase SegretoPaint (713-461-5210)!! Until next time, xo Leslie