Jul 15, 2023 - Economy & Business

"Barbie" movie inspires more playful interior design trends

Data: Pinterest; Chart: Axios Visuals

Expect to see more pops of pink in U.S. homes as Barbie drives the summer of nostalgia.

Why it matters: Post-pandemic, there's a "pent-up desire to just have some fun," Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, tells Axios.

  • And incorporating Barbie's bold, signature shade at home — from countertops to wine glasses — is one way people are leaning into optimism.

Driving the news: U.S. search interest in "Barbie pink" in the home and garden category more than quadrupled in June and is currently at a 10-year high, Google Trends data show.

  • "Pink" and "Barbie pink" were among the top 10 trending paint colors in June.

By the numbers: Searches for "Barbiecore aesthetic room" on Pinterest jumped 1,135% from May 2022 to May 2023.

  • Searches for a Barbie bathroom and living room each increased 135% and "hot pink nursery" rose 75%, according to data shared by the inspiration search engine.

Gig marketplace TaskRabbit tells Axios that ahead of the Barbie movie release, clients are incorporating Barbie-inspired decor into their homes more than ever before.

  • Barbie-related tasks doubled year-over-year in the U.S., with requests for help with doll houses increasing 38% in the same time period.

Between the lines: Pink — in its various shades — has grown in popularity over the last decade, becoming a genderless, ageless symbol of playfulness and power, says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams.

What's next: Interior design experts don't expect a deluge of Barbie Dreamhouses popping up across the county, but more playful design is here to stay.

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