All the Details: HGTV Brings Mattel's Barbie Dreamhouse to Life in New Competition Series
HGTV's Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge will premiere July 16 at 8|7c.
UPDATE AUGUST 6, 2023
Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt, hosts of HGTV's 100 Day Dream Home, have been crowned the Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge champions. And they aren't the only winners! Thanks to the Kleinschmidt's, their superfan Marco wins a stay in HGTV's Dreamhouse — which, of course, includes Mike and Brian's Y2K-themed back yard. Check out Marco's priceless reaction here, and read exactly what Mika and Brian had to say about their victory here.
UPDATE: JULY 19, 2023
We want more Barbie Dreamhouse, more Ashley Graham, more pink — and that's exactly what we're getting. HGTV has released a behind-the-scenes YouTube series that gives us an inside look at the making of Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge. New episodes of the four-part series will be released weekly.
UPDATE: JUNE 6, 2023
Days before the anticipated release of the Warner Bros. Pictures film Barbie, HGTV will unveil its epic life-size renovation of the iconic Mattel toy, Barbie Dreamhouse, creating the biggest, boldest and most whimsical home of all time in its newest competition series, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge.
Premiering on HGTV Sunday, July 16 at 8|7c, the four-part event series hosted by supermodel, designer, author and entrepreneur Ashley Graham will feature eight teams of HGTV superstars and one celebrated Food Network chef as they transform a Southern California home into a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse. And, one passionate Barbie fan will win a once-in-a-lifetime sleepover staycation in the completed home.
Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge will be jam-packed with surprise celebrity guest appearances — including some of the film’s marquee talent. During the competition, acclaimed designer and Barbie collaborator Jonathan Adler will serve as head judge alongside HGTV designer and Barbie Dreamhouse expert Tiffany Brooks, who will be joined by a weekly celebrity guest judge. Each episode will feature captivating and nostalgic Barbie content as each team implements daring designs synonymous with the iconic Dreamhouse throughout the home, including a light-up dance floor and an aquarium that doubles as a desk, as well as brilliant toyetic elements like a hat carousel in Barbie’s closet and a combination pet elevator/phone booth in the living room. In the end, the winning design team will have a donation made in their name to Save the Children.
“To pull this off, we’ve assembled the biggest group of renovation stars ever on HGTV to create a real-life fully functioning Barbie Dreamhouse,” says host Ashley Graham. “The pressure is on for the teams to unleash their creativity far beyond their usual design parameters to dream up a place that Barbie would be proud to call home.”
In the supersized 90-minute premiere, Ashley and the competitors will take an inspiring trip to Mattel headquarters and get a mind-blowing Barbie surprise. Kicking off the competition, real estate and design power couple Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson (Married to Real Estate) will face-off against expert builder Jasmine Roth (Help! I Wrecked My House) and Food Network’ Antonia Lofaso (Beachside Brawl) in a first-floor showdown.
Egypt and Mike will take inspiration from the neon 1990s Barbie style to reimagine the entryway, living room and dining room into an over-the-top pink paradise. Jasmine and Antonia will create an awe-inspiring kitchen and family room from the 1960s, with space-age touches featuring appliances that appear with the touch of a button and sleek mid-century accents. Kitty Black Perkins, who’s credited with designing the first Black Barbie, makes a surprise appearance.
The star-studded lineup of HGTV home design and renovation experts that will compete throughout the season continues in week two. Celebrity guest judge Nischelle Turner (Entertainment Tonight) will review the work of Ty Pennington (Rock the Block) and Alison Victoria (Windy City Rehab), who create a groovy Disco-themed 1970s den for Ken, while Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin (Farmhouse Fixer) tap into 1980s glam to bring the primary suite to life.
In week three, Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas (Bargain Block) will give the front yard and home exterior a toy-riffic 1990s spin and Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt (100 Day Dream Home) will build an outrageous Y2K era backyard wonderland judged by celebrity guest Marsai Martin (Black-ish).
The finale will feature an homage to Barbie’s quintessential style with a futuristic closet and dressing room by Christina Hall and James Bender (Christina on the Coast). Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle (Luxe for Less) will design a chic office worthy of Barbie’s storied resume. The spaces will be judged by celebrity guest and fashion designer Christian Siriano.
Get into the Barbie Mood
For the latest announcements on Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, follow @HGTV on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok using the hashtag #BarbieDreamHouseChallenge. The series will be available to stream the same day on Max.
MAY 30, 2023
One of the world’s most iconic toys will become reality when HGTV taps into the zeitgeist of Mattel’s Barbie® in its new competition series, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, set to premiere on HGTV this summer.
Inspired by the singular, enduring popularity of the global icon herself and by the excitement surrounding the upcoming release of the Warner Bros. Pictures film, Barbie, HGTV will harness the unmatched power of its corporate siblings to support four nostalgia-filled episodes and execute Barbie-themed, cross-network content and promotions. Punctuated by celebrity guests, pop culture history and a plethora of Barbie surprises, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge will be hosted by supermodel, designer, author and entrepreneur Ashley Graham and feature eight teams of HGTV superstars as they transform a Southern California home into a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse. In the end, one passionate Barbie fan will get the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime stay in a home created for dreamers.
“By aligning two admired brands — HGTV and Mattel’s Barbie — and mobilizing the power of the best-in-class portfolio of Warner Bros. Discovery, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge will deliver a unique, visually stunning payoff for millions of fans who want to see their favorite HGTV stars bring a treasured childhood icon to life,” says Loren Ruch, Head of Content, HGTV.
“I cannot wait to see Barbie’s signature style get the life-sized treatment in an actual home," says Ashley. "She holds such a special place in my heart, especially since Mattel created a one-of-a-kind doll of me back in 2016. It feels like such a full circle moment now that I have a hand in the creation of her real-life Dreamhouse.”
HGTV Stars Step Up
During the series, 15 talented HGTV home design and renovation experts and one celebrated Food Network chef will participate in the creation of Barbie’s Dreamhouse, including: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson (Married to Real Estate); Jasmine Roth (Help! I Wrecked My House) and Antonia Lofaso (Beachside Brawl); Ty Pennington (Rock the Block) and Alison Victoria (Windy City Rehab); Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin (Farmhouse Fixer); Christina Hall and James Bender (Christina on the Coast); Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas (Bargain Block); Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt (100 Day Dream Home); and Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle Williams (Luxe for Less). Teams will overhaul areas of the home with an era-specific style, such as an early 1960s atomic age kitchen, a ‘70s disco vibe for Ken’s Den and a main bedroom decked out in ‘80s glam.
Additionally, Food Network will integrate Barbie-inspired elements into Summer Baking Championship and Beachside Brawl. Many of WBD’s social media platforms will offer exclusive, behind-the-scenes content linked to Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge. The series and upcoming Barbie film will also receive a multi-page editorial profile in HGTV Magazine, further elevating it among more than eight million readers.