My first Barbie house was actually hand made for me by my great uncle. It has 6 rooms and an attic, electric lights, wall to wall carpet, is fully furnished and the front door opens and closes. Most of the furniture was made by my mom and my grandma sewed curtains and bedding for it. She also contributed building materials, including a brand new cookie sheet that her brother made into the kitchen sink and metal counter tops. It remains the best Christmas present I ever got. I also have the yellow A-frame house and a couple different versions of the 3 storey elevator house. All those were picked up second hand. I've thrifted tons of furniture. It's fun to find bargains and also cool to discover how many different colors any given piece comes in. Thanks for the fun review!
I am 27 years old now and I am still upset that my mother gave away my 1995 dream house. I still have a Christmas ornament of it, though. It was the best one (in my opinion) and I deeply miss it. One time I went to a thrift store and saw FOUR of them there for sale. I was in college, so I couldn't buy one... I started tearing up in the middle of the store. I'll find another one some day!
I’m actually surprised there wasn’t a price conversion made of their original prices. But then again I’m a historian 🤷♂️ it’s interesting comparing $4.44 in 1962 to ~$41. But then again, if we look at other ‘inessential luxuries’, records were $2-$4 depending if your record player was mono or stereo, we can understand the luxury of this toy. $4.44 would have been respectfully a weeks worth of groceries, including three pounds of beef, a dozen eggs, a 4 pound bag of flour, milk and cheese, shortenings and fresh produce.
I miss when the houses would have seperate rooms and more furniture instead of just stickers. The magical mansion and Victorian house are my favourites.
Although Mattel loves cutting corners, most of this stuff is due to the increasing production costs. It's just not as feasible to turn a profit making that stuff anymore
I owned the magical mansion. I think if it was re made you’d be shocked about the parents and aunties that would come out of the woodwork to buy it even at an exorbitant price. I believe the magical mansion alone was $500 without furniture.
I agree. Kids want toys that are actually functional. It’s a lot more fun to play with an actual kitchen set than a picture of a kitchen stuck to a plastic wall.
I grew up playing with the 2006 dollhouse and it was really spacious!! I think this also had sounds as well ( like the toilet was able to make a flush noise and the stove would sizzle) plus if you put clothes in the hamper, it shoots down onto the laundry basket downstairs so that was also pretty neat :D
i didn't have a barbie house as a kid but I DID have a barbie camper (and a Mcdonalds set), so my barbies lived in a trailer and worked at mickey d's😂I never thought of it as derogatory, though. Barbie was a hard working woman providing for her family. I was mirroring my own family. Great video, Joey!
Isn't that the whole point of Barbies wide variety of skills? It's not necessarily about barbie being a bad ass Astronaut AND veterinarian. It's about her reaching kids where they are and adding possibilities to their dreams. But barbie who works at McDonald's and lives in a camper to provide for her family is absolutely a bad ass. Lol. It's how it should be...
The camper was the absolute best! I only knew one girl with one of these Dreamhouses (the magical sound ones from 1991) but almost all of my friends had the 1989 Magic Van camper. It must have just been the more affordable option, or maybe they just had a really great marketing campaign in K-Mart/Zellers/Sears Wishbook.
Growing up I had the 2006 dream house I absolutely loved it. I remember it not only came with furniture but also many house accessories. Like a fridge full of food, plates and silverware, bath accessories etc. That was so much fun.
Older woman here. Those old vinyl cases and dollhouses smelled SO GOOD! And I loved my mod 1968 Family House. It was weird, but we were into weird in those days.
I had a version of that house from the 70s. It was kind of orange and yellow with a beach theme and kind of mid century furniture. I hated that the only real furniture in the kitchen was a table and chairs so I found a stove and fridge to put in and then extended by putting the table and chairs outside in the "dining area." They gave us 3 rooms then everyone got out their scrap cardboard, tape and wrapping paper and added on! What was really wild was that same house and a camper that was out then were also made in army green for GI Joe. He didn't get the beachy furniture though!
Funny thing a lot of the barbie things I had growing up were vintage, and I kept thinking "I can smell those pictures" XD. In a good way! Vintage barbie stuff smelled amazing for some reason lol
I had the interactive talking dream house of 2002, and it was a childhood higlight for sure, came to this video only to see if you talked about it! She was beautiful
I had the 2009 one growing up and so did my cousin, we loved it. Almost everything in it was intractable the shower, the toilet, the tv went inside the fire place and you could press a hidden button to make it come back up, the door bell worked and the light in the dinning room turned on, and the fire place lit us and made noises. The dish washer was fun as it came with food and drinks for the fridge and very small silverware, cups, and plates. last is that it came with so many little accessories and furniture. I used to play with this house from 7am to 8pm, this was before I owned any electronics other than the wii. I am 17 now and part of me wants to buy this house again just so I can go back to playing with it.
I had the same one when I was younger and I loved it so much! I think I still have it somewhere in our attic. The tv was one of my favorite parts of the house. And the lights on the hot tub were everything!
I absolutely loved this dream house, I still remember playing with it. I'm 15 and when I saw it up there it was like a flash to past. I also didn't have any electronics other than the tv and this dream house was my lifeline. I played with it everyday. I gave it away when i got around 5th grade, a big part of me kinda whishes I didn't though😞
I still have it lol. The chandelier on the bottom floor lit up but my dog ate them all… and i got something stuck behind the tv when i was little and it doesn’t go down anymore sadly lol
The Barbie stuff is stashed in boxes in the attic at the moment, but my siblings and I didn't ever have an official dreamhouse (not enough room, and my parents didn't have that kind of money). We did receive all the furniture separately and used regular toy shelves to set it up. We made our own stairs out of Legos, as well as our own paper objects for the house (plates, cups, food, pictures for the wall, etc.) , then just used our Imaginations.
13:20 my sister had this in our childhood and we were both OBSESSED. The picture here doesn’t do it justice because the centre wall would rotate like a carousel which was always so awesome. Plus the blue/cream/orange colour scheme was really understated and beautiful (and against the grain of the typical pink, yknow?). Plus it was just a cottage with stickers of cats everywhere like, ugh im still obsessed!
I think my other faves have gotta be 1986, 1990 & 2006 for just hitting those perfect colour schemes with really unique designs. Id love to get ‘86 and fill it with all the frilly, lacy (kinda kitschy) 80s furnitures from that time especially!
I had this as a child too! 😆👌 I actually still have the house minus some of the furniture.The spinning wall and the bed that turned into a shower/bath were my favorite. Such a cool use of space ☺👏👏
I had the 96 “pretty house” and I loved how many animal stickers there were X3 this house had rabbits, cats and dogs all over the place and I LIVED for it!
The A frame Barbie house is everythinggggg! Do more videos like these please!! The first three Barbie houses adjusted for inflation would cost: 1962 - 38.29$ 1964 - 46.54$ 1965 - 91.69$
I agree with you!!! The A-frame is everything. I thrifted mine (70s version) for $15. Mattel outdid themselves with that miniature masterpiece. I respect how Mattel keeps updating Barbie's real estate, but I think they need to re-manufacture the yellow and pink A-frame with replicas of the furniture ect. Nostalgia is in so I believe they'd do well 😄
They could reissue the A-frame house in cream, gray and black and do furniture packs in more realistic colors with Barbie pink accents. Would be great if they included templates for the removable cardboard inserts so kids and collectors could change the wallpaper . Also it would be fun if they included some easy craft ideas to make accessories with stuff you have around the house. They used to do that with the more EarthDay friendly Sunshine Family dolls and accessory packs. Everything you bought came with a little booklet with at least one craft from a no sew doll apron to a milk carton couch. Lots of fun!
Midge's house from 2004 absolutely made noise. The toilet flushed the shower ran. There was a little switch by the baby changing table that folded up that turned the noises on. And a little lamp in the changing table that would play some lullaby music for the baby or play some crying noises. The microwave made popcorn sounds that and the sound from the fridge opening always made me happy as a kid.
I remember, being a child of the '60s that $4 was a lot of money for a toy! My mother and grandmother (who was a seamstress and department store buyer) made a lot of clothing because it was too expensive to buy. But though I didn't get the dream house, I did get the cardboard fashion shop and I loved it. In fact, I still have most of it. I now have an A-frame dream house and you can find bathroom pieces for it.
My mom made tons of clothes for my dolls. You could get patterns for Barbie and Ken but not for the other dolls. She cut some down to fit Skipper and Francie. My favorites are some crocheted pieces. A wedding dress and a pink skirt suit that looks very Chanel.
That fashion shop was the bomb! I coveted that and The Little Theater. I have most of the Little Theater costumes, but have yet to find the theater or any of its pieces. I've read that it was one of the least popular of the early Barbie structures and not a whole lot of them were made.
@@oliverhummel156 I had friends who were sisters and their parents were my parent's best friends. They got the Theatre, the College Campus, and the 1964 Dreams house. We had quite a little town going during sleepovers but they were really hard on things and their cool stuff never lasted long! I had lost a couple of pieces over the years but I re-collected them all plus some extra chairs.
@@bethenecampbell6463 I made tons of clothes for my girls. I remember saving up my babysitting money to go to the drugstore to buy clothes. My mom made tons of clothes. I hate now you have to purchase a Barbie to get outfits and they are only stamped on the front.
I was born in 1963. I had the 1970 and the 1974 houses. My granddaughter has the 2020. Thank you for bringing back such great memories. I loved the video!!
I was born in 1970 and I had the 1979 BDH and I loved it SO MUCH! I still have the most vivid memories of all the furniture and tiny food. I feel like no other Barbie house compares. 💗
Awwww! 💕💕 My father has built me an exact copy of this dreamhouse with the elevator when I was a child and also had his fun playing with the Barbies with me (of course only for the child, lol!). Sigh, memories... 🤩💕🤩💕
I remember having the 2015 one and the thing I remember about it most was that that cabinet in the bathroom could turn into a sink, a fish tank or a barbecue and how they all made noises depending on which one you attached to it. I also remember the pool that came in the side, I used to have so much fun with it.
I remember that as a child in the 90's I wanted a little house and my father made me the version of the '91 one in wood I loved that house ❤️ the nostalgia
This took me back so much! I never owned a dreamhouse myself, but my cousins and friends did. Pro tip for anyone with kiddos who want Barbie beds: tissue boxes! Flip them over and put a little fabric and mini pillows on it, voila, a bed! Small tissue boxes make for good pretend dressers and table too. And if they get squashed it's no bid deal. Just give them another box. I'll never forget getting "real" wicker furniture for my dolls when I was 8. Still have most of it, despite some of them being a bit broken. So many good memories. Thank you for the nostalgia! 🥰
I had the 2009 one!!! UGH, I loved that elevator! When you clicked the tv in the living room, it would slowly come back up and the fireplace would crackle! I LOVED IT.
i had the talking townhouse from 2002. it was iconic, imo. the advertisement jingle is still ingrained in my brain still lol. a major staple of my childhood. the mail slot, the turn of the century smarthome theme, even the accessories/furniture it came with were great for my little kid imagination.
Whoa! My grandma has that Barbie's Family House from 1968 still at her house, furniture and all. Seeing that just sent me through memory lane remembering I used to play with it when I would bring my dolls over to her house. It was like a vacation home for my dolls, heheh.
The 1986 Dreamhouse looks soo pretty!! I'd still love to have it💕 But the 2011 Dreamhouse is the one I've made the most memories with growing up, it was lovely!
2000 Dream House was the best one you can’t change my mind (tho the 2006 one holds a special place in my heart as the first time I made a big purchase with my own money and I am still kind of impressed I managed to save that much money as a ten year old)
I had the 1999 and 2004 dream house growing up. Omgooooodness the memories this brought back. Was sooo in love with my ‘99 way more though because of the turn around kitchen! I wish I still had this playset!
The Barbie Family House morphed into a cute beach house sometime in the mid 70s. The colors were better and it was great for transporting dolls and accessories. I used to pack it FULL, including a dune buggy, to stay over at my grandma's house. If you put it on top of a coffee table you have a two storey house!
I like to think Barbie's sisters are actually her daughters she just passes off as her sisters and only Chelsea was planned back when her name was Kelly.
@@smb-c3po I never bought Skipper as a sister. Always played like the Skipper generation were the kids. Francie, on the other hand, made sense as a younger sister. In the 60s there was another baby sister, I forget her name, but she was about 5" tall with a poseable body.
I had a version of the 3in1 house that I got for Christmas in 1998/99. It looked similar to the pictures shown here, but mine had cardboard backdrops with prints of furnished rooms & the fence was a different style. I also had some foldable mini houses that were probably technically considered "playsets"... A "Barbie Magic Key House" which was ADORABLE! It was multiple shades of pink with lavender & lime green accents. It opened up accordion style & featured a small sitting room, a canopy bed, & a large bathtub. It also came with accessories & a "Magic Key" that would "unlock" things in the house & trigger sound effects. I loved it! I also had a "Grandma's Kitchen" playset which was basically another folding mini house. This one featured a kitchen (of course) & a dining room with a fold out table & folding chairs so that Grandma, Grandpa, Midge, Alan, & Ryan could all eat dinner together! The plastic chicken, & sheet of cookies reacted with water to look as though they had been baked. I also had a "Kelly's Secret Clubhouse" - it was exclusive to the Kelly Club line of the mid 2000s. It featured a set of stairs that turned into a slide, a small treehouse room for Kelly & her friends, a drawbridge leading to a balcony area, & some playground equipment beneath. All very cool houses! 🏡 I LOVE the A-frame styles! So cute - especially the pink one! 👍 This video brought back a lot of fun memories! 💖
@@shainahullihen1159 If I remember correctly, the Barbie Magic Key House was about 17in. Tall, 12in. Wide, & 7in. Deep - it was very compact & would fold out into a larger play set. It was super cute! Highly recommend finding one! 💕
Prayed, pleaded and begged my mom for this house for Christmas. The 1990 Dream Mansion was a site to behold. At 8 it took me about 6-8 hours to build. The front was stunning glitter panels, lit chandelier and porch lights. reversible linen couch, bed, and fireplace . It came with the furniture pictured. There was additional furniture sets sold separately like a fridge and laundry. Whaaat, my girl was living the life when she pulled up in that 80's silver bullet corvette.
I had the 2006 three-story Dream House. It, like the 2008 variant, also had a doll stand you could 'clip your dolls into' that would then let them "walk" up the stairs (via crank mechanism on the floor). Also like the 2008 variant, it was missing the kitchen table and chairs (all other furniture came with, and I was very confused by how 'empty' the kitchen was). I don't think the third floor was supposed to detach (it was firmly part of the build, once assembled), though the stereo was actually a fold-out bed.
The 95 house was the one we had when me and my sister were kids. I don't remember the elevator being battery operated, but I do remember the bath that turned into a bed
I was looking everywhere for the one Barbie house I had as a little girl that I would have kept FOREVER but my parents gave away when I left for college (shame on them) and it was the 1992 Fold'n Fun house! Ohhhh those memories. Thank you for this compilation. 💖
Growing up I owned the 2013 Barbie dream house and that was one of the highlights of my childhood. All the buttons you could press for sounds and also being able to hang Barbie’s clothes on the clothes rack was awesome
I played non-stop with the first Dream House. I was 8 when I first saw it, and it brings back so many memories for me of playing nothing but Barbies. Some of the later ones are ugly, but the favorite one is the first A-frame house. My dad made a huge wooden two-story, 5-room Barbie house for my daughters, and our house was the magnet house for every girl on the block. This was such an informative video. I love your insights and laugh. Thank you for all your research and pictures of everything. I'm going to binge-watch every video of yours this weekend.
I had the 2013 dream house! My god it was perfect, I played with it every day and I loved all of the buttons and small details and furniture. It was amazing
Aye me too! I still have it because I cant let go of the memories, it was honestly my favorite especially the blow dryer button sound that feels like it was on for more than 3 min lol
AYO same! I put barbies bed on to the 3rd floor room with the tv, and the room thats actually for barbie as skipper/Stacy’s room and the dining room for Chelsea/Kelly instead. (I put the dining table outside). It was really fun to play as it had the closet and the moving elevator. It just looked amazing. My mum and dad hates chucking out toys so I literally have every toy(and my siblings) I owned on the 2nd floor (playroom). And my barbie collection is in my room! Honestly the doll house looks real good, and..I’m 13 😂
yess me too! im actually here because I was playing old barbie flash games for nostalgia and one of the games had music from the 2013 bathroom and i fell deeper into a barbie rabbit hole 😭
My cousin had the best A Frame from the late 70’s. The colors are aweful but Utah was phenomenal and sturdy. I could still play with it 10 years after that.
Ahhh this brought back so many memories! My mom was a thrift shopper so I had multiple of the houses from the 80s- early 2000s. I wish I would have kept them :(
1984 Glamour home had a bathroom indeed. The backgrounds were cardboard pieces that you could turn around so the room changed, and, for instance, the bedroom became the bathroom. I never owned it, but, oh, was I in love with it!
I had the 1998 and 2006 dream houses, they were so cool, the railings would eventually break and pieces would be lost but my god were those houses fun to play in!
My older sister had the 1998 house and it was amazing!! Eventually I got the Princess & the pauper castle for myself! I loved having the option for fantasy or realism
I had the 1972 Surprise House and the 1974 Townhouse. Many years of Barbie fun! My younger sister had the first version of the A-frame (1979). It came with a warning that it could take up to 3 hours to put together. It took our single mother 4+ hours to put together and swearing was involved.
I love the 1979 Dream House, my friend had this and we had so much fun playing with it. I had the glow in the dark bed and a really cool kitchen set though and they were awesome. Maybe do a video on some Barbie sets like those, that would be fun :)
I had the 1968 Barbie Family House. It was given to me by an older cousin who had gotten "too old" to play with Barbie. She also gave me her Barbies and Skipper, as well as some beautiful vintage Barbie clothes from probably the early sixties. She also gave me her Barbie carrying case, which served as a closet for Barbie's extensive wardrobe (to which I was constantly adding). I bought at least one camper/van for Barbie, and one Christmas my folks bought me a rather elaborate pool set with a (huge!) pool, which one could actually fill with water. We never bought any newer, larger Barbie houses; it kind of felt wasteful to me since I already had one. Still, I remember feeling kind of concerned that not all the Barbies had a proper bed. 🤔 I kept most of my Barbie stuff and gave it to my own daughter. She played with it for several years, but when she decided she was done with Barbie we gave everything to a friend of hers who still played with Barbie. I kept the vintage parts of her wardrobe, however 😂. To be honest, I kind of regret giving it all away...😢 Seeing the panorama of Barbie houses now, I kinda wish I had bought the 1995 Dream House for my own daughter, as that's year she was born, and just kept it boxed up until she was old enough to play with it. She always has loved Victorian architecture...
I had the Fold’N’Fun House when I was young. My family lived in a fifth wheel, so space was at a premium. The fact it could fold up and be put away was super helpful. Also, the street lamp’s light actually works, too!
I had that one too. I had a really small bedroom back then. It was also more reasonably priced compared to other dollhouses on the market at the time otherwise I wouldn’t have had it. It was a decent size when unfolded, I had so much fun with that house and it was the only house I ever had.
Oooh can you do a video like this on every Barbie pool? There's wonderful light up fountain one I had as a kid. Man I'd love to have that one back. Great video again!
I had three of the '86 house at one point (though I always lovingly refer to it as 'Barbies dream shelf'...I mean let's be honest here, it's a glorified shelf lol) Unfortunately for one of them the plastic poles were so brittle and yellowed, it all just broke apart, and had to get rid of it. I originally used it to display my vintage 'my little pony' collection, Barbie didn't sneak her way back in there until more recently. On a side note, the '95 house was the one with the 'most likely to be seen at a garage sale' award...the number of times I saw those in the late 90's early 2000's at sales just blew my mind.
You must hate LOL OMG & RH houses then, the walls are fully furnished in 2D. 😆 I hate them for being made out of wallpapered particle board, they can get warped & not waterproof. 😣 I have to say out of all those dream houses I like the Happy Family the most. It look well lived & is giving family sitcom vibe. 🥰 I hope you'll do the medium & budget houses in the future. I'd like to see if any can top the Totally Real house.
I had the 1999 one! my grandma gave it to me when I was living at her house so I can have something to play with (I was 5). I remember saying this after my barbie dolls right arm fell off xd (I was pretending to be a newscastor): "breaking arms- I mean breaking news!" I'm 15 now and I collect mini mixi Q's.
I had both the 1972 Surprise House and the 1974 Townhouse with elevator. My favorite thing about the Surprise House was the shuffleboard court (it came with Barbie-sized cues & discs) and the swing. Unfortunately both of those houses were pretty flimsy & not made to last. My daughter had the 1998 Family House, it was such a pretty blue color. She also had the Barbie in blue overalls on the front of the box. She wishes now that she had kept them!
I too, had the 1974 townhouse, and the Chris Craft boat. Also remember having a Barbie shopping plaza! I was quite spoiled, thinking back. Don't remember what happened to it all, I think my younger sister had it, then sold all at a yard sale 🙁
I have 2 of the 2006 dreamhouse, found them both individually at thrift shops for under $30! I'm gonna get rid of them because I don't like the colour scheme either. I love the size though and the spiral staircase! I wish they'd make more dreamhouses with more realistic/neutral colours! P.S The elevators aren't too unrealistic one of my closest friends literally has an elevator in her house! It sounds lazy but she plays a Saxophone so taking it up the stairs would be annoying af.
I had 3 secondhand Houses, but one was more like a stable from the outside and one was like a working space for barbie that could turn in a sleeping room for her and you could fould the whole thing to be round and you could carry it. Just loved the Thing so much.
Joey, I enjoy your videos. Thanks so much for taking the time to make them. It is wonderful that the appreciation of Barbie crosses many generations. Personally, as doll collectors, we have so much to offer each other. Remembering that information is all relative, depending on which generation of Mattel's merchandising one was exposed as a child, makes for a wonderful panoply of people and aesthetics that is fascinating. Your commentary on the 2000 blue Victorian actually piqued my interest to own one. Long ago, my husband gave me the ultimatum, "No more structures!" Therefore, I can only view that house here, longingly. Many of my generation of doll collectors cringe at the now "classic pink". It's not how Barbie began, but it is what it is and Mattel wants us to be there. I'd like to share a few interesting insights. I hope you won't mind. The first Barbie Dream House's overall design was inspired by the preeminent designers of the day, Alexander Girard and Charles and Ray Eames. Some of their designs are still manufactured today and are considered classic 20th century Modernist design. So, in 1962, Barbie was on point. I own one of the first Dream Houses. I've owned others, but it remains my favorite because it is the most compact Barbie structure I have ever been exposed. Joey, I hope one of these comes your way. No doubt you'll find it a unique comparison. Technically, I don't know if this constitutes a Barbie "house", but the Barbie College Campus is worthy of note. The feature you might find of interest is the dorm room, that has beds, desks, and a closet. The dolls for this dorm room would have been Barbie ad Midge. This structure also had a soda shop (I guess I should use the old-thyme "shoppe"). It's a great set and very rare. I think you might appreciate it. Soon after the Barbie Family Living House there was the Country Living House. The structure was the same as the Family Living House but the graphics were completely different. So was the furniture. From 1965 to about 1970 style deliberately jumped the track, which I reflected in the Family Living House. In the blink of an eye, it seems everything went from hippie to hippie-dippie. Prior to disco, this era was about a return to the earth and a "simpler" life. The Country Living House reflected that. If I remember correctly, the Dream House of 1979 came with seeds and an area to plant a real "garden" Eeew wee!. Sleep 'n' Keep cases are not "houses" but worth mentioning. Throughout the 1970s Mattel franchised double doll cases that could store two dolls (usually Barbie and Stacie). There was a center section for clothes. On the underside of the lids there were fold down beds for two dolls. I think I have two of those cases. They are quite interesting. I totally understand why you do not like the Barbie Family House. As far as style is concerned, it is the transition house between the Mod Barbie House and the Country Living House. Believe me, the stretch is broad. FYI, in the early 1970s the most popular colors were: Avocado Green Cocoa Brown Harvest Gold Damn! We were eternally stuck in autumn! I lived through and escaped all of it. I am xyz young and appreciate what you do.
Late 70’s/early 80’s Barbie girl here. I felt i was getting too old for Barbie in 1981 but I got the double-doll case that christmas with a short-haired Barbie. My favorite Barbie accessories were from a few years before, I think. I had inflatable Barbie furniture. Very 70’s and very fun.
What about the Barbie “my house”? It was a fold out type with double sided walls, and you could buy different sets for it. I had a barbecue with outdoor furniture and an amazing kitchen set up! It had so many cool options
I had something the 1964 Barbie's New Dream House. One thing that isn't obvious is that the layout could be opened to different angles, depending on how much play space was available. For storage, all the furniture could be tucked into niches, and the walls and patio floor folded around, to form a closed box a bit bigger than a portable sewing mechine, complete with a top handle for carrying. I thought the price was a little higher, and my house did not exactly match the photos. The sliding door was a sheet of acetate framed by two sides of the heavy duty pasteboard. It didn't slide without fuss, but it was amazing. The pasteboard construction of the furniture and house was very sturdy, and nearly visual detail on the surfaces was amazing.
I always wanted a Barbie Dream Home! We never got one, but we had so many Barbies we had a HUGE pink tub of Barbies and Barbie accessories. This video was fun! Thanks!
I remember watching the Barbie folding pretty house ads on TV. I wanted it so badly, but my parents refused to buy us big accessories and playsets that would only take up lots of space, especially when we lost interest. If only they could have known I'd never really grow up and would still be obsessed with toys in my mid-30's.
The little boy next door had the 2000's purple Victorian house and I was so envious. I saw one on Facebook marketplace recently and really considered buying it to appease my inner child but I really do not have room for it.
We ended up finding a 2004 Happy Family home at a local thrift store and it was very interactive. We were very impressed with all of the noises and it was well loved at our house! 😁 A great find for 11.00 dollars!
the barbie house i had as a kid was very cool and unique. it was a barbie house that also functioned as a piece of furniture. it was just under 5 foot tall, made of wood with three stories and drawers on the bottom. i got it when i was a toddler and kept it for years. once i was too old to play with dolls, i used it as a bookshelf. the best part is the floor plan was very open and you didn’t need to crouch down to play with it.
I remember when all the giros were obssesed with the dream house in 2011 and i had a little dollhouse with the furniture and all the stuff that I found it around my house. I grew up with Barbie since I was little and this is the exact way that was playing when I was a child.
Me and my sister grew up with the folding pretty house from 1996 (yard sale find apparently), the 2002 interactive house and the 2008 three storey dream house. We had a whole community of families that would live in the different houses! The three storey dream house was one of my all time favourite toys from my childhood, and we still have it in the basement
LI LOVE the old houses. I didn’t have any of them growing up, but as an adult collector, I first got the first dream house but I wasn’t impressed with its large size and I sold it. I didn’t get the second dream house until many years later. I just love it, and the fact that you can change the rooms around is especially cool. I have most of the mod era houses. I also have two clone “houses“ from the 70s… A rustic Lakehouse and Hawaiian villa. They were made of cardboard and had cardboard furniture. I am a sucker for the old cardboard furniture.
I had that one house with stained glass windows from 1998! I loved it! It was a hand me down form my older sister, and I remember that it had this bathtub that would fold down on the top floor and a really nice elevator in the tower. Mine also had a little baby swing on the bottom porch. I loved that house. Still have some of the furniture from it. Now I'm a model horse collector, but Barbie houses have always fascinated me, even after we got rid of all of mine. Awesome vid!
My Barbie years were 70 to 75. I never had a house but I did have the pool set. I remember my Barbie was less expensive than my friend's because she couldn't bend her legs or didn't have the opposable thumb to hold the drinks in the pool float. We played with such Imagination!
I remember getting the 2008 barbie dream house when I was 6 and seeing the commercials every Christmas, it’s extremely nostalgic to me and I’m so mad at myself for getting rid of it 😭😭 i think im gonna buy a used one to satisfy my childhood nostalgia, it was my absolute favorite and so iconic!!
I find it interesting how you say why for the one from 1979 when in reality from the outside if you imagine closure to the actual house it reminds me of my childhood home so yellows and rusty reds and dark blues, they always make me feel very safe and comforted.
Oh my goodness, my mom had that 1974 house as a child! Well, she had the 1973 version which had a slightly different color scheme overall. The cardboard pieces of it got really beat up when she was a kid, but the plastic furniture was sturdy and she gave them to me when I was first getting into Barbies. I didn't have a dollhouse for them yet, but I had furniture and I could spread that anywhere and use my building blocks to make walls to separate rooms however I wanted! The furniture went into the garage for awhile, but we recently found the box that it was in shortly before I watched this video, which I think is a hilarious coincidence!
I had the 1995 Folding Dreamhouse--secondhand, mind you--and I still adore it to this day. There are better photos online that showcase the interior, but my favorite part was the built-in sink that would fold out to create a jacuzzi. It offered a lot of versatility, and I loved the amount of floor space it had as it made it easy for me and my brother to play together. We had this running storyline going where my little brother would play with Lego Hero Factory and I would play the Barbies. The Hero Factory were an alien cyborg race that crashlanded to Earth on Barbie's balcony and hid out at her home. The Barbies would teach them how to blend into human society, and how to be vulnerable and express their emotions. The Hero Factory would teach the girls how to fight and defend themselves. Totally miss that house, had lots of good memories with it.
My sister had the 1968 Family house. It was so cool and well designed because it turns into a case. I think you don't like it because you are looking at it from a 2000's aesthetic, but if you put it in context (or if you just love the late 60's/early 70's aesthetic) it is marvelous.
I think 1968 is so beautiful . In terms of design, it's really cool! I think he just doesn't like this kind of style. It's really awesome and beautiful!
I have a vintage 1969 Barbie Country Living Home, which is the exact design of the '68 Family House, but quite a bit more colorful, with bright blues, greens & pinks. Goes perfectly with my Mod Barbie doll collection, in their fab maxi skirts & boots. I don't think our guy would like this variation, though, because of all the graphics on the vinyl walls. I think it's pretty cool, myself. I love that it folds into a case & I can carry my dolls in it, even fitting all the furniture. I am old, though, & I love earlier Barbie stuff best.
I'm very intrigued now by the Barbie castle you mentioned. Love pink but also love seeing a time when there was some interesting colour combos on offer too. The neon townhouse was quite fun.
we have the 2021 Dream House and it is amazing! The “L” shape layout makes it so easy to play in. And there are lots of stories you can play out with all the incredible house elements
The first townhouse and 1979 dream house were the ones I grew up with! They were originally my moms and she kept her childhood ones for my childhood :3 She sold the 1979 one 3 years ago and it went for almost $500 usd, sad to see it go but personally Ive always wanted more of a pink and purple house or a castle LOL
I get it, if I had more space, would be tempted to get Barbie stuff. The appeal of the clothing lasts. And the new movie doll deluxe gift you got, yeah, her *hat* and the quality of the clothes is wonderful. The best of the new clothing, and the tiny vintage accessories (like for a kitchen set I saw) really get to me. Part inner child, and part of the adult that I am, for sure. (P.S. *agreed* the dress needs an underskirt - love that you'll make one for her!)
2012 is what I think of when I think of a Dreamhouse. But in terms of one that doesn't take up a load of space, I think my favourite is 1984 Glamour Home
My friend converted her heavily shelved wardrobe into a Barbie house. She even stuck little fairy lights in there so it wasn't dark. I was so jealous.
Your friend is genius.
that is really smart!!!!!
I did that for my monster high dolls! My girlies were living in a four story house 🤣 my mom helped me decorate and stick wallpaper for each room.❤️
My first Barbie house was actually hand made for me by my great uncle. It has 6 rooms and an attic, electric lights, wall to wall carpet, is fully furnished and the front door opens and closes. Most of the furniture was made by my mom and my grandma sewed curtains and bedding for it. She also contributed building materials, including a brand new cookie sheet that her brother made into the kitchen sink and metal counter tops. It remains the best Christmas present I ever got. I also have the yellow A-frame house and a couple different versions of the 3 storey elevator house. All those were picked up second hand. I've thrifted tons of furniture. It's fun to find bargains and also cool to discover how many different colors any given piece comes in. Thanks for the fun review!
I used to make my our Barbie houses out of shoe boxes! Handmade dolls houses are amazing! Thanks for watching and sharing your memories
@@BeautyInsideABox it's amazing what can be done with imagination and a cardboard box!
Bethene, do you have an Instagram? I would loveee to see pictures!! :)
I hope that house still alive
My older sisters did have a lot of Barbie dolls in the '90s and I would sometimes actually play with their Ken.
I am 27 years old now and I am still upset that my mother gave away my 1995 dream house. I still have a Christmas ornament of it, though. It was the best one (in my opinion) and I deeply miss it. One time I went to a thrift store and saw FOUR of them there for sale. I was in college, so I couldn't buy one... I started tearing up in the middle of the store. I'll find another one some day!
I HATED when my mother would give away my toys and clothes.
Fun fact: 9 dollars in 1965 was the equivalent to 81 dollars today….
And $4.99 in 1964 would be like buying something for $46.54 today, Pretty interesting!
@@essenceweebkittyx3 It definitely puts it into a better perspective. When he said cheapest I had a giggle, because nope! 😂
thats crazyyyyyyy
waow
I’m actually surprised there wasn’t a price conversion made of their original prices. But then again I’m a historian 🤷♂️ it’s interesting comparing $4.44 in 1962 to ~$41. But then again, if we look at other ‘inessential luxuries’, records were $2-$4 depending if your record player was mono or stereo, we can understand the luxury of this toy. $4.44 would have been respectfully a weeks worth of groceries, including three pounds of beef, a dozen eggs, a 4 pound bag of flour, milk and cheese, shortenings and fresh produce.
I miss when the houses would have seperate rooms and more furniture instead of just stickers. The magical mansion and Victorian house are my favourites.
Agree I hate the stickers like the kitchen cabinets, etc
I had the Victorian Dreamhouse it was fun but then it got throw away
Although Mattel loves cutting corners, most of this stuff is due to the increasing production costs. It's just not as feasible to turn a profit making that stuff anymore
I owned the magical mansion. I think if it was re made you’d be shocked about the parents and aunties that would come out of the woodwork to buy it even at an exorbitant price. I believe the magical mansion alone was $500 without furniture.
I agree. Kids want toys that are actually functional. It’s a lot more fun to play with an actual kitchen set than a picture of a kitchen stuck to a plastic wall.
I grew up playing with the 2006 dollhouse and it was really spacious!! I think this also had sounds as well ( like the toilet was able to make a flush noise and the stove would sizzle) plus if you put clothes in the hamper, it shoots down onto the laundry basket downstairs so that was also pretty neat :D
I abused that laundry shoot and would always put the baby down it. But yeah i was super spacious and I loved it so much!
i didn't have a barbie house as a kid but I DID have a barbie camper (and a Mcdonalds set), so my barbies lived in a trailer and worked at mickey d's😂I never thought of it as derogatory, though. Barbie was a hard working woman providing for her family. I was mirroring my own family. Great video, Joey!
Isn't that the whole point of Barbies wide variety of skills? It's not necessarily about barbie being a bad ass Astronaut AND veterinarian. It's about her reaching kids where they are and adding possibilities to their dreams. But barbie who works at McDonald's and lives in a camper to provide for her family is absolutely a bad ass. Lol. It's how it should be...
I had the mcds set and LOVED it!!!
My barbie lived in a van. Lol Van life before it got popular. It had a little kitchen and bed. I loved that barbie van.
The camper was the absolute best! I only knew one girl with one of these Dreamhouses (the magical sound ones from 1991) but almost all of my friends had the 1989 Magic Van camper. It must have just been the more affordable option, or maybe they just had a really great marketing campaign in K-Mart/Zellers/Sears Wishbook.
SAME OMG!
Growing up I had the 2006 dream house I absolutely loved it. I remember it not only came with furniture but also many house accessories. Like a fridge full of food, plates and silverware, bath accessories etc. That was so much fun.
Older woman here. Those old vinyl cases and dollhouses smelled SO GOOD! And I loved my mod 1968 Family House. It was weird, but we were into weird in those days.
I still have mine!
I had a version of that house from the 70s. It was kind of orange and yellow with a beach theme and kind of mid century furniture. I hated that the only real furniture in the kitchen was a table and chairs so I found a stove and fridge to put in and then extended by putting the table and chairs outside in the "dining area." They gave us 3 rooms then everyone got out their scrap cardboard, tape and wrapping paper and added on! What was really wild was that same house and a camper that was out then were also made in army green for GI Joe. He didn't get the beachy furniture though!
I liked it! The pink roof was hideous with those colors though haha I loved the sitting area
Funny thing a lot of the barbie things I had growing up were vintage, and I kept thinking "I can smell those pictures" XD. In a good way! Vintage barbie stuff smelled amazing for some reason lol
HA! I was wondering if there’d be anyone else. My sister and I had the 1979 dream house. We LOVED it. We played the doors off that sucker!
I had the interactive talking dream house of 2002, and it was a childhood higlight for sure, came to this video only to see if you talked about it! She was beautiful
I had the 2009 one growing up and so did my cousin, we loved it. Almost everything in it was intractable the shower, the toilet, the tv went inside the fire place and you could press a hidden button to make it come back up, the door bell worked and the light in the dinning room turned on, and the fire place lit us and made noises. The dish washer was fun as it came with food and drinks for the fridge and very small silverware, cups, and plates. last is that it came with so many little accessories and furniture. I used to play with this house from 7am to 8pm, this was before I owned any electronics other than the wii. I am 17 now and part of me wants to buy this house again just so I can go back to playing with it.
I had the same one when I was younger and I loved it so much! I think I still have it somewhere in our attic. The tv was one of my favorite parts of the house. And the lights on the hot tub were everything!
My sister gave me this one! I remember my other sister and I would play with this all of the time.
I absolutely loved this dream house, I still remember playing with it. I'm 15 and when I saw it up there it was like a flash to past. I also didn't have any electronics other than the tv and this dream house was my lifeline. I played with it everyday. I gave it away when i got around 5th grade, a big part of me kinda whishes I didn't though😞
I still have it lol. The chandelier on the bottom floor lit up but my dog ate them all… and i got something stuck behind the tv when i was little and it doesn’t go down anymore sadly lol
Same here
The Barbie stuff is stashed in boxes in the attic at the moment, but my siblings and I didn't ever have an official dreamhouse (not enough room, and my parents didn't have that kind of money). We did receive all the furniture separately and used regular toy shelves to set it up. We made our own stairs out of Legos, as well as our own paper objects for the house (plates, cups, food, pictures for the wall, etc.) , then just used our Imaginations.
I did the same thing
13:20 my sister had this in our childhood and we were both OBSESSED. The picture here doesn’t do it justice because the centre wall would rotate like a carousel which was always so awesome. Plus the blue/cream/orange colour scheme was really understated and beautiful (and against the grain of the typical pink, yknow?). Plus it was just a cottage with stickers of cats everywhere like, ugh im still obsessed!
I think my other faves have gotta be 1986, 1990 & 2006 for just hitting those perfect colour schemes with really unique designs. Id love to get ‘86 and fill it with all the frilly, lacy (kinda kitschy) 80s furnitures from that time especially!
I had this as a child too! 😆👌
I actually still have the house minus some of the furniture.The spinning wall and the bed that turned into a shower/bath were my favorite. Such a cool use of space ☺👏👏
I had the 96 “pretty house” and I loved how many animal stickers there were X3 this house had rabbits, cats and dogs all over the place and I LIVED for it!
$4 back then would be would about 38.29$ from over the past 60 yrs.
Omg i had that same house. Maybe mine was second hand because I don't remember the tiny pieces that came with it but it was awesome!
I really enjoy the fact that there are people showing their passion for dolls too, so now I can watch videos like that.
The A frame Barbie house is everythinggggg! Do more videos like these please!!
The first three Barbie houses adjusted for inflation would cost:
1962 - 38.29$
1964 - 46.54$
1965 - 91.69$
I agree with you!!! The A-frame is everything. I thrifted mine (70s version) for $15. Mattel outdid themselves with that miniature masterpiece. I respect how Mattel keeps updating Barbie's real estate, but I think they need to re-manufacture the yellow and pink A-frame with replicas of the furniture ect. Nostalgia is in so I believe they'd do well 😄
They could reissue the A-frame house in cream, gray and black and do furniture packs in more realistic colors with Barbie pink accents. Would be great if they included templates for the removable cardboard inserts so kids and collectors could change the wallpaper . Also it would be fun if they included some easy craft ideas to make accessories with stuff you have around the house. They used to do that with the more EarthDay friendly Sunshine Family dolls and accessory packs. Everything you bought came with a little booklet with at least one craft from a no sew doll apron to a milk carton couch. Lots of fun!
Midge's house from 2004 absolutely made noise. The toilet flushed the shower ran. There was a little switch by the baby changing table that folded up that turned the noises on. And a little lamp in the changing table that would play some lullaby music for the baby or play some crying noises. The microwave made popcorn sounds that and the sound from the fridge opening always made me happy as a kid.
I remember, being a child of the '60s that $4 was a lot of money for a toy! My mother and grandmother (who was a seamstress and department store buyer) made a lot of clothing because it was too expensive to buy. But though I didn't get the dream house, I did get the cardboard fashion shop and I loved it. In fact, I still have most of it. I now have an A-frame dream house and you can find bathroom pieces for it.
My mom made tons of clothes for my dolls. You could get patterns for Barbie and Ken but not for the other dolls. She cut some down to fit Skipper and Francie. My favorites are some crocheted pieces. A wedding dress and a pink skirt suit that looks very Chanel.
That fashion shop was the bomb! I coveted that and The Little Theater. I have most of the Little Theater costumes, but have yet to find the theater or any of its pieces. I've read that it was one of the least popular of the early Barbie structures and not a whole lot of them were made.
@@oliverhummel156 I had friends who were sisters and their parents were my parent's best friends. They got the Theatre, the College Campus, and the 1964 Dreams house. We had quite a little town going during sleepovers but they were really hard on things and their cool stuff never lasted long! I had lost a couple of pieces over the years but I re-collected them all plus some extra chairs.
@@bethenecampbell6463 I made tons of clothes for my girls. I remember saving up my babysitting money to go to the drugstore to buy clothes. My mom made tons of clothes. I hate now you have to purchase a Barbie to get outfits and they are only stamped on the front.
The playsets from the 90's and early 2000's were freaking gigantic
I was born in 1963. I had the 1970 and the 1974 houses. My granddaughter has the 2020. Thank you for bringing back such great memories. I loved the video!!
I was born in 1970 and I had the 1979 BDH and I loved it SO MUCH! I still have the most vivid memories of all the furniture and tiny food. I feel like no other Barbie house compares. 💗
Awwww! 💕💕 My father has built me an exact copy of this dreamhouse with the elevator when I was a child and also had his fun playing with the Barbies with me (of course only for the child, lol!). Sigh, memories... 🤩💕🤩💕
It was in the mid eighties I believe... old I am, so sad 😞 😅😂
I used to make my own dolls houses too. Mostly out of shoe boxes. Every time someone got new shoes I would add a room to my dolls house
Go Dad! That's cool that he was so creative and willing to play along.
Jessi Vee's parents also built dollhouses for her and her sister to play with their Barbie dolls.
I remember having the 2015 one and the thing I remember about it most was that that cabinet in the bathroom could turn into a sink, a fish tank or a barbecue and how they all made noises depending on which one you attached to it. I also remember the pool that came in the side, I used to have so much fun with it.
Me too!! I thought that was so cool.
yes!!!
I had that one!!!
Loved reading that, I just found the 2015 dreamhouse in perfect condition for my daughter's first dreamhouse! 😀
I remember that as a child in the 90's I wanted a little house and my father made me the version of the '91 one in wood I loved that house ❤️ the nostalgia
The 1970s townhouse with the elevator is the one I always craved. But my dolls lived in a shack made of old ceiling tiles, and they liked it!
Did something similar, it’s neat how we used our imagination to create things.
This took me back so much! I never owned a dreamhouse myself, but my cousins and friends did. Pro tip for anyone with kiddos who want Barbie beds: tissue boxes! Flip them over and put a little fabric and mini pillows on it, voila, a bed! Small tissue boxes make for good pretend dressers and table too. And if they get squashed it's no bid deal. Just give them another box. I'll never forget getting "real" wicker furniture for my dolls when I was 8. Still have most of it, despite some of them being a bit broken. So many good memories. Thank you for the nostalgia! 🥰
I had the 2009 one!!! UGH, I loved that elevator! When you clicked the tv in the living room, it would slowly come back up and the fireplace would crackle! I LOVED IT.
i had the talking townhouse from 2002. it was iconic, imo. the advertisement jingle is still ingrained in my brain still lol.
a major staple of my childhood. the mail slot, the turn of the century smarthome theme, even the accessories/furniture it came with were great for my little kid imagination.
Whoa! My grandma has that Barbie's Family House from 1968 still at her house, furniture and all. Seeing that just sent me through memory lane remembering I used to play with it when I would bring my dolls over to her house. It was like a vacation home for my dolls, heheh.
Me to! Even still have some of her older Barbies
The 1986 Dreamhouse looks soo pretty!! I'd still love to have it💕 But the 2011 Dreamhouse is the one I've made the most memories with growing up, it was lovely!
2009 one was SO iconic!!! It’s the one I grew up with and I loved it so so much, good memories💙
2000 Dream House was the best one you can’t change my mind (tho the 2006 one holds a special place in my heart as the first time I made a big purchase with my own money and I am still kind of impressed I managed to save that much money as a ten year old)
I love the 2006 one it looks a lot more real then some of the other barbie houses idk why
I had the 1999 and 2004 dream house growing up. Omgooooodness the memories this brought back. Was sooo in love with my ‘99 way more though because of the turn around kitchen! I wish I still had this playset!
The Barbie Family House morphed into a cute beach house sometime in the mid 70s. The colors were better and it was great for transporting dolls and accessories. I used to pack it FULL, including a dune buggy, to stay over at my grandma's house. If you put it on top of a coffee table you have a two storey house!
Love that! ❤️ thanks for watching
@@BeautyInsideABox I really enjoy your channel. Especially these nostalgia trips and the horrible knock off doll unboxings. 😀
I like to think Barbie's sisters are actually her daughters she just passes off as her sisters and only Chelsea was planned back when her name was Kelly.
@@smb-c3po I never bought Skipper as a sister. Always played like the Skipper generation were the kids. Francie, on the other hand, made sense as a younger sister. In the 60s there was another baby sister, I forget her name, but she was about 5" tall with a poseable body.
I had a version of the 3in1 house that I got for Christmas in 1998/99. It looked similar to the pictures shown here, but mine had cardboard backdrops with prints of furnished rooms & the fence was a different style.
I also had some foldable mini houses that were probably technically considered "playsets"...
A "Barbie Magic Key House" which was ADORABLE! It was multiple shades of pink with lavender & lime green accents. It opened up accordion style & featured a small sitting room, a canopy bed, & a large bathtub. It also came with accessories & a "Magic Key" that would "unlock" things in the house & trigger sound effects. I loved it!
I also had a "Grandma's Kitchen" playset which was basically another folding mini house. This one featured a kitchen (of course) & a dining room with a fold out table & folding chairs so that Grandma, Grandpa, Midge, Alan, & Ryan could all eat dinner together! The plastic chicken, & sheet of cookies reacted with water to look as though they had been baked.
I also had a "Kelly's Secret Clubhouse" - it was exclusive to the Kelly Club line of the mid 2000s. It featured a set of stairs that turned into a slide, a small treehouse room for Kelly & her friends, a drawbridge leading to a balcony area, & some playground equipment beneath.
All very cool houses! 🏡
I LOVE the A-frame styles! So cute - especially the pink one! 👍
This video brought back a lot of fun memories! 💖
@cierahayes, how big is the Magic Key House? I would love to get it someday since I can't have a Dreamhouse in my bedroom.
@@shainahullihen1159 If I remember correctly, the Barbie Magic Key House was about 17in. Tall, 12in. Wide, & 7in. Deep - it was very compact & would fold out into a larger play set. It was super cute! Highly recommend finding one! 💕
The 1984 home actually does have a bathroom! :) the background can be changed out like turning a page on a book which also helps to add in more rooms
Prayed, pleaded and begged my mom for this house for Christmas. The 1990 Dream Mansion was a site to behold. At 8 it took me about 6-8 hours to build. The front was stunning glitter panels, lit chandelier and porch lights. reversible linen couch, bed, and fireplace . It came with the furniture pictured. There was additional furniture sets sold separately like a fridge and laundry. Whaaat, my girl was living the life when she pulled up in that 80's silver bullet corvette.
I had the 2006 three-story Dream House. It, like the 2008 variant, also had a doll stand you could 'clip your dolls into' that would then let them "walk" up the stairs (via crank mechanism on the floor). Also like the 2008 variant, it was missing the kitchen table and chairs (all other furniture came with, and I was very confused by how 'empty' the kitchen was). I don't think the third floor was supposed to detach (it was firmly part of the build, once assembled), though the stereo was actually a fold-out bed.
The 95 house was the one we had when me and my sister were kids. I don't remember the elevator being battery operated, but I do remember the bath that turned into a bed
I loved the 2006 and 2009 one. The 2004 house made real sounds like the previous one.
The 2006 one is the one i had as a kid i loved it :)
I was looking everywhere for the one Barbie house I had as a little girl that I would have kept FOREVER but my parents gave away when I left for college (shame on them) and it was the 1992 Fold'n Fun house! Ohhhh those memories. Thank you for this compilation. 💖
Growing up I owned the 2013 Barbie dream house and that was one of the highlights of my childhood. All the buttons you could press for sounds and also being able to hang Barbie’s clothes on the clothes rack was awesome
I played non-stop with the first Dream House. I was 8 when I first saw it, and it brings back so many memories for me of playing nothing but Barbies. Some of the later ones are ugly, but the favorite one is the first A-frame house. My dad made a huge wooden two-story, 5-room Barbie house for my daughters, and our house was the magnet house for every girl on the block. This was such an informative video. I love your insights and laugh. Thank you for all your research and pictures of everything. I'm going to binge-watch every video of yours this weekend.
I had the 2013 dream house! My god it was perfect, I played with it every day and I loved all of the buttons and small details and furniture. It was amazing
Aye me too! I still have it because I cant let go of the memories, it was honestly my favorite especially the blow dryer button sound that feels like it was on for more than 3 min lol
I still have it lol
Omg! I had that one too. I can{t wait to pass it down to my kids. I will cherish it foreverrr
AYO same! I put barbies bed on to the 3rd floor room with the tv, and the room thats actually for barbie as skipper/Stacy’s room and the dining room for Chelsea/Kelly instead. (I put the dining table outside). It was really fun to play as it had the closet and the moving elevator. It just looked amazing. My mum and dad hates chucking out toys so I literally have every toy(and my siblings) I owned on the 2nd floor (playroom). And my barbie collection is in my room! Honestly the doll house looks real good, and..I’m 13 😂
yess me too! im actually here because I was playing old barbie flash games for nostalgia and one of the games had music from the 2013 bathroom and i fell deeper into a barbie rabbit hole 😭
My cousin had the best A Frame from the late 70’s. The colors are aweful but Utah was phenomenal and sturdy. I could still play with it 10 years after that.
Ahhh this brought back so many memories! My mom was a thrift shopper so I had multiple of the houses from the 80s- early 2000s. I wish I would have kept them :(
1984 Glamour home had a bathroom indeed. The backgrounds were cardboard pieces that you could turn around so the room changed, and, for instance, the bedroom became the bathroom.
I never owned it, but, oh, was I in love with it!
the 2009 dream house was the reason i woke up everyday, went to school and got to the grind……. it was eye opening for me! great video
I had the 1998 and 2006 dream houses, they were so cool, the railings would eventually break and pieces would be lost but my god were those houses fun to play in!
My older sister had the 1998 house and it was amazing!! Eventually I got the Princess & the pauper castle for myself! I loved having the option for fantasy or realism
When I was a kid, I had the 1984 Glamour Home :D Thanks for bringing back the memories.
2006 was my dream house. Loved it to bits. It had a doorbell that rang and a working porch light. So nostalgic lol
That’s neat, I think o e of my childhood friends had one that did that. I remember how neat it was. Could of been the same one.
I had the 1972 Surprise House and the 1974 Townhouse. Many years of Barbie fun! My younger sister had the first version of the A-frame (1979). It came with a warning that it could take up to 3 hours to put together. It took our single mother 4+ hours to put together and swearing was involved.
I love the 1979 Dream House, my friend had this and we had so much fun playing with it. I had the glow in the dark bed and a really cool kitchen set though and they were awesome. Maybe do a video on some Barbie sets like those, that would be fun :)
I had the 1968 Barbie Family House. It was given to me by an older cousin who had gotten "too old" to play with Barbie. She also gave me her Barbies and Skipper, as well as some beautiful vintage Barbie clothes from probably the early sixties. She also gave me her Barbie carrying case, which served as a closet for Barbie's extensive wardrobe (to which I was constantly adding). I bought at least one camper/van for Barbie, and one Christmas my folks bought me a rather elaborate pool set with a (huge!) pool, which one could actually fill with water. We never bought any newer, larger Barbie houses; it kind of felt wasteful to me since I already had one. Still, I remember feeling kind of concerned that not all the Barbies had a proper bed. 🤔 I kept most of my Barbie stuff and gave it to my own daughter. She played with it for several years, but when she decided she was done with Barbie we gave everything to a friend of hers who still played with Barbie. I kept the vintage parts of her wardrobe, however 😂. To be honest, I kind of regret giving it all away...😢
Seeing the panorama of Barbie houses now, I kinda wish I had bought the 1995 Dream House for my own daughter, as that's year she was born, and just kept it boxed up until she was old enough to play with it. She always has loved Victorian architecture...
I had the Fold’N’Fun House when I was young. My family lived in a fifth wheel, so space was at a premium. The fact it could fold up and be put away was super helpful. Also, the street lamp’s light actually works, too!
I had that one too. I had a really small bedroom back then. It was also more reasonably priced compared to other dollhouses on the market at the time otherwise I wouldn’t have had it. It was a decent size when unfolded, I had so much fun with that house and it was the only house I ever had.
I had the 1979 Dream House. It was amazing and I played with it for HOURS on end. Thanks for the memories.
In the 70's Barbie had a Country Living House. It has a door that opens, a kitchen with swinging saloon doors and a door that goes into her bedroom.
Hi Joey!!! I don’t think I’ve ever been this early to a video before. Hope you’re having a lovely day. 🥺
I had the 2006 one! I absolutely LOVED it!
I miss is sometimes
Oooh can you do a video like this on every Barbie pool? There's wonderful light up fountain one I had as a kid. Man I'd love to have that one back. Great video again!
Oh I would love seeing a Barbie pool video!
I had three of the '86 house at one point (though I always lovingly refer to it as 'Barbies dream shelf'...I mean let's be honest here, it's a glorified shelf lol) Unfortunately for one of them the plastic poles were so brittle and yellowed, it all just broke apart, and had to get rid of it. I originally used it to display my vintage 'my little pony' collection, Barbie didn't sneak her way back in there until more recently.
On a side note, the '95 house was the one with the 'most likely to be seen at a garage sale' award...the number of times I saw those in the late 90's early 2000's at sales just blew my mind.
You must hate LOL OMG & RH houses then, the walls are fully furnished in 2D. 😆 I hate them for being made out of wallpapered particle board, they can get warped & not waterproof. 😣
I have to say out of all those dream houses I like the Happy Family the most. It look well lived & is giving family sitcom vibe. 🥰
I hope you'll do the medium & budget houses in the future. I'd like to see if any can top the Totally Real house.
I had the 1999 one!
my grandma gave it to me when I was living at her house so I can have something to play with (I was 5).
I remember saying this after my barbie dolls right arm fell off xd (I was pretending to be a newscastor): "breaking arms- I mean breaking news!"
I'm 15 now and I collect mini mixi Q's.
I had both the 1972 Surprise House and the 1974 Townhouse with elevator. My favorite thing about the Surprise House was the shuffleboard court (it came with Barbie-sized cues & discs) and the swing. Unfortunately both of those houses were pretty flimsy & not made to last. My daughter had the 1998 Family House, it was such a pretty blue color. She also had the Barbie in blue overalls on the front of the box. She wishes now that she had kept them!
I too, had the 1974 townhouse, and the Chris Craft boat. Also remember having a Barbie shopping plaza! I was quite spoiled, thinking back. Don't remember what happened to it all, I think my younger sister had it, then sold all at a yard sale 🙁
I have 2 of the 2006 dreamhouse, found them both individually at thrift shops for under $30! I'm gonna get rid of them because I don't like the colour scheme either. I love the size though and the spiral staircase! I wish they'd make more dreamhouses with more realistic/neutral colours!
P.S The elevators aren't too unrealistic one of my closest friends literally has an elevator in her house! It sounds lazy but she plays a Saxophone so taking it up the stairs would be annoying af.
Repaint it!!🤍
repaint it to the colors you want. Great crafting project.
@@sharonkaysnowton I kinda wanna make a dollhouse from scratch! Now that's gonna be a crafting project hahaha
I had 3 secondhand Houses, but one was more like a stable from the outside and one was like a working space for barbie that could turn in a sleeping room for her and you could fould the whole thing to be round and you could carry it. Just loved the Thing so much.
Joey, I enjoy your videos. Thanks so much for taking the time to make them.
It is wonderful that the appreciation of Barbie crosses many generations. Personally, as doll collectors, we have so much to offer each other. Remembering that information is all relative, depending on which generation of Mattel's merchandising one was exposed as a child, makes for a wonderful panoply of people and aesthetics that is fascinating. Your commentary on the 2000 blue Victorian actually piqued my interest to own one. Long ago, my husband gave me the ultimatum, "No more structures!" Therefore, I can only view that house here, longingly. Many of my generation of doll collectors cringe at the now "classic pink". It's not how Barbie began, but it is what it is and Mattel wants us to be there.
I'd like to share a few interesting insights. I hope you won't mind.
The first Barbie Dream House's overall design was inspired by the preeminent designers of the day, Alexander Girard and Charles and Ray Eames. Some of their designs are still manufactured today and are considered classic 20th century Modernist design. So, in 1962, Barbie was on point. I own one of the first Dream Houses. I've owned others, but it remains my favorite because it is the most compact Barbie structure I have ever been exposed. Joey, I hope one of these comes your way. No doubt you'll find it a unique comparison.
Technically, I don't know if this constitutes a Barbie "house", but the Barbie College Campus is worthy of note. The feature you might find of interest is the dorm room, that has beds, desks, and a closet. The dolls for this dorm room would have been Barbie ad Midge. This structure also had a soda shop (I guess I should use the old-thyme "shoppe"). It's a great set and very rare. I think you might appreciate it.
Soon after the Barbie Family Living House there was the Country Living House. The structure was the same as the Family Living House but the graphics were completely different. So was the furniture. From 1965 to about 1970 style deliberately jumped the track, which I reflected in the Family Living House. In the blink of an eye, it seems everything went from hippie to hippie-dippie. Prior to disco, this era was about a return to the earth and a "simpler" life. The Country Living House reflected that.
If I remember correctly, the Dream House of 1979 came with seeds and an area to plant a real "garden" Eeew wee!.
Sleep 'n' Keep cases are not "houses" but worth mentioning. Throughout the 1970s Mattel franchised double doll cases that could store two dolls (usually Barbie and Stacie). There was a center section for clothes. On the underside of the lids there were fold down beds for two dolls. I think I have two of those cases. They are quite interesting.
I totally understand why you do not like the Barbie Family House. As far as style is concerned, it is the transition house between the Mod Barbie House and the Country Living House. Believe me, the stretch is broad.
FYI, in the early 1970s the most popular colors were:
Avocado Green
Cocoa Brown
Harvest Gold
Damn! We were eternally stuck in autumn!
I lived through and escaped all of it. I am xyz young and appreciate what you do.
Thank you for the wonderful, insightful & educational comments 🥰
Late 70’s/early 80’s Barbie girl here. I felt i was getting too old for Barbie in 1981 but I got the double-doll case that christmas with a short-haired Barbie. My favorite Barbie accessories were from a few years before, I think. I had inflatable Barbie furniture. Very 70’s and very fun.
Absolutely agree with you👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽Thanks for helping educate him.
What about the Barbie “my house”? It was a fold out type with double sided walls, and you could buy different sets for it. I had a barbecue with outdoor furniture and an amazing kitchen set up! It had so many cool options
I had something the 1964 Barbie's New Dream House. One thing that isn't obvious is that the layout could be opened to different angles, depending on how much play space was available. For storage, all the furniture could be tucked into niches, and the walls and patio floor folded around, to form a closed box a bit bigger than a portable sewing mechine, complete with a top handle for carrying. I thought the price was a little higher, and my house did not exactly match the photos. The sliding door was a sheet of acetate framed by two sides of the heavy duty pasteboard. It didn't slide without fuss, but it was amazing. The pasteboard construction of the furniture and house was very sturdy, and nearly visual detail on the surfaces was amazing.
I always wanted a Barbie Dream Home! We never got one, but we had so many Barbies we had a HUGE pink tub of Barbies and Barbie accessories. This video was fun! Thanks!
I remember watching the Barbie folding pretty house ads on TV. I wanted it so badly, but my parents refused to buy us big accessories and playsets that would only take up lots of space, especially when we lost interest. If only they could have known I'd never really grow up and would still be obsessed with toys in my mid-30's.
The little boy next door had the 2000's purple Victorian house and I was so envious. I saw one on Facebook marketplace recently and really considered buying it to appease my inner child but I really do not have room for it.
We ended up finding a 2004 Happy Family home at a local thrift store and it was very interactive. We were very impressed with all of the noises and it was well loved at our house! 😁 A great find for 11.00 dollars!
I have never had Barbie dreamhouse but, when I was little, my parents bought me Barbie’s roulotte... it was 2007/2008 and the roulotte was amazing!💖
the barbie house i had as a kid was very cool and unique. it was a barbie house that also functioned as a piece of furniture. it was just under 5 foot tall, made of wood with three stories and drawers on the bottom. i got it when i was a toddler and kept it for years. once i was too old to play with dolls, i used it as a bookshelf. the best part is the floor plan was very open and you didn’t need to crouch down to play with it.
I remember when all the giros were obssesed with the dream house in 2011 and i had a little dollhouse with the furniture and all the stuff that I found it around my house.
I grew up with Barbie since I was little and this is the exact way that was playing when I was a child.
Me and my sister grew up with the folding pretty house from 1996 (yard sale find apparently), the 2002 interactive house and the 2008 three storey dream house. We had a whole community of families that would live in the different houses! The three storey dream house was one of my all time favourite toys from my childhood, and we still have it in the basement
Lots of cool dream houses but I think the one from 1986 is my favorite.
LI LOVE the old houses. I didn’t have any of them growing up, but as an adult collector, I first got the first dream house but I wasn’t impressed with its large size and I sold it. I didn’t get the second dream house until many years later. I just love it, and the fact that you can change the rooms around is especially cool.
I have most of the mod era houses. I also have two clone “houses“ from the 70s… A rustic Lakehouse and Hawaiian villa. They were made of cardboard and had cardboard furniture. I am a sucker for the old cardboard furniture.
I had the 2000s barbie house and I spent SO much time playing with it! I loved that house so much I cried so much when I had to give it away.
I had that one house with stained glass windows from 1998! I loved it! It was a hand me down form my older sister, and I remember that it had this bathtub that would fold down on the top floor and a really nice elevator in the tower. Mine also had a little baby swing on the bottom porch. I loved that house. Still have some of the furniture from it. Now I'm a model horse collector, but Barbie houses have always fascinated me, even after we got rid of all of mine. Awesome vid!
My Barbie years were 70 to 75. I never had a house but I did have the pool set. I remember my Barbie was less expensive than my friend's because she couldn't bend her legs or didn't have the opposable thumb to hold the drinks in the pool float. We played with such Imagination!
I remember getting the 2008 barbie dream house when I was 6 and seeing the commercials every Christmas, it’s extremely nostalgic to me and I’m so mad at myself for getting rid of it 😭😭 i think im gonna buy a used one to satisfy my childhood nostalgia, it was my absolute favorite and so iconic!!
I find it interesting how you say why for the one from 1979 when in reality from the outside if you imagine closure to the actual house it reminds me of my childhood home so yellows and rusty reds and dark blues, they always make me feel very safe and comforted.
Oh my goodness, my mom had that 1974 house as a child! Well, she had the 1973 version which had a slightly different color scheme overall. The cardboard pieces of it got really beat up when she was a kid, but the plastic furniture was sturdy and she gave them to me when I was first getting into Barbies. I didn't have a dollhouse for them yet, but I had furniture and I could spread that anywhere and use my building blocks to make walls to separate rooms however I wanted! The furniture went into the garage for awhile, but we recently found the box that it was in shortly before I watched this video, which I think is a hilarious coincidence!
2009 dream house was iconic me and all my friends had it and it was just built different
I had the 1995 Folding Dreamhouse--secondhand, mind you--and I still adore it to this day. There are better photos online that showcase the interior, but my favorite part was the built-in sink that would fold out to create a jacuzzi. It offered a lot of versatility, and I loved the amount of floor space it had as it made it easy for me and my brother to play together.
We had this running storyline going where my little brother would play with Lego Hero Factory and I would play the Barbies. The Hero Factory were an alien cyborg race that crashlanded to Earth on Barbie's balcony and hid out at her home. The Barbies would teach them how to blend into human society, and how to be vulnerable and express their emotions. The Hero Factory would teach the girls how to fight and defend themselves.
Totally miss that house, had lots of good memories with it.
I remember having so many of the vintage furniture pieces. I wish I still had it all. We have 3 houses now - the 2013 being the oldest.
Thanks for this video this was so fun! And now I NEED that 1990 magical mansion, it goes perfectly with my princesscore vibe rn
Ahhhhhhh I had the’92 Fold n’ Fun house!!! The good old days when my Barbies had to go to work all day instead of me. 😂😂😭
My sister had the 1968 Family house. It was so cool and well designed because it turns into a case. I think you don't like it because you are looking at it from a 2000's aesthetic, but if you put it in context (or if you just love the late 60's/early 70's aesthetic) it is marvelous.
I think 1968 is so beautiful . In terms of design, it's really cool! I think he just doesn't like this kind of style. It's really awesome and beautiful!
I have a vintage 1969 Barbie Country Living Home, which is the exact design of the '68 Family House, but quite a bit more colorful, with bright blues, greens & pinks. Goes perfectly with my Mod Barbie doll collection, in their fab maxi skirts & boots. I don't think our guy would like this variation, though, because of all the graphics on the vinyl walls. I think it's pretty cool, myself. I love that it folds into a case & I can carry my dolls in it, even fitting all the furniture. I am old, though, & I love earlier Barbie stuff best.
I had the 1995 one! I was 3, and was in love with it!
my mom had the 1986 dreamhouse (which we kept for a very long time) and i had the 2009 townhouse!!! crazy how long these have been around.
I'm very intrigued now by the Barbie castle you mentioned. Love pink but also love seeing a time when there was some interesting colour combos on offer too. The neon townhouse was quite fun.
I made a video unboxing the castle a while ago. It’s amazing
@@BeautyInsideABox yay!!! Off to find that video now, thanks so much Joey 💕
we have the 2021 Dream House and it is amazing! The “L” shape layout makes it so easy to play in. And there are lots of stories you can play out with all the incredible house elements
I had the cardboard Barbie penthouse in the mid 60s. It was really well made. My sister still has it but most of the furniture is long gone.
The first townhouse and 1979 dream house were the ones I grew up with! They were originally my moms and she kept her childhood ones for my childhood :3 She sold the 1979 one 3 years ago and it went for almost $500 usd, sad to see it go but personally Ive always wanted more of a pink and purple house or a castle LOL
I had the 79 too! Also my mothers hand me down. I was always jealous of my friends pink ones, but looking back it was pretty cool to have.
I get it, if I had more space, would be tempted to get Barbie stuff. The appeal of the clothing lasts. And the new movie doll deluxe gift you got, yeah, her *hat* and the quality of the clothes is wonderful. The best of the new clothing, and the tiny vintage accessories (like for a kitchen set I saw) really get to me. Part inner child, and part of the adult that I am, for sure. (P.S. *agreed* the dress needs an underskirt - love that you'll make one for her!)
2012 is what I think of when I think of a Dreamhouse. But in terms of one that doesn't take up a load of space, I think my favourite is 1984 Glamour Home
I had the 2012 one when I was little, it was huge like 3 foot tall. I played with it until it fell apart lmao
I had the 1995 Barbie Dreamhouse I absolutely loved it!