As an interior stylist, I get to work on some fun briefs, however Greta Gerwig's new Barbie film launching this month lead to one of the most fun yet - creating an all-pink 80s style garden party fit for a Barbie gathering.
We've seen #Barbiecore become a huge craze this summer and so I wanted to bring her dream house to life but in an outdoor setting and create some photo booth moments that the owner could enjoy with their friends and family as the perfect barbiecore garden party idea.
However, creating a pink-perfect party setting that is chic but not cliche isn't without its challenges. Here's how I created the ultimate grown-up Barbie garden party that stays just on the right side of fun and playful.
The seating area
I started with the seating area, so guests would have somewhere to sit and chat. Painting a few fence panels in a candy pink colour to provide a big hit of colour gave the area a good background to work from.
When replicating this look I'd recommend varying the shades of pink you use, from bright fuchsia and hot magenta to bubblegum or candy-coloured pink, adding in small pops of sea blue and sunshine yellow for a sweetie-style colour palette that looks good enough to eat.
I hung pink voiles from a pergola to frame the area, adding in some comfy furniture, like the curvy pink sofa and a high-backed armchair to emulate a living room, complete with coffee tables and layered outdoor rugs.
Hanging some brightly-coloured framed prints on the fence made it feel even more like an interior setting. Don't forget, if they're not undercover, you may need to invest in a canopy to keep them in good condition until the end of summer.
I went for fun, feminine quotes. I love the lips canvas, which echos the lips cushion on the sofa, too.
You'll also notice a few outdoor lights dotted about, which look like indoor lamps but are actually solar-powered. Outdoor lights that look like indoor lamps are bang on trend this summer, these ones are all from Wayfair like the furniture and other decor, perfect for casting a warm glow at night.
This Miami-style lounger was a must – as soon as I saw it I knew it would go perfectly and it's great if your party is during the day, so guests can relax and soak up the sun.
Your outside space may not have the luxury of a pool, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy poolside chic. I added a basket with beach towels next to it, and the faux plants in pink pots give the whole area a tropical vibe. Why not add in some inflatables, too, to really ramp up that poolside vibe!
The bar set-up
No garden party is complete without a drinks area and I thought I'd design a garden bar idea that the owners could have on their decking. I chose a freestanding bar and added some faux floral panels from Wayfair to the front to give it a good dose of Barbie prettiness.
A parasol is always a good idea to help shade guests from the sun, and this fringed yellow and pink design fit the brief perfectly.'
I saw this Wayfair drinks dispenser and thought it was a good way for guests to help themselves to pink drinks. This one is a nice heavy version, so it won't get knocked or blown over easily. A gold frame next to it displays a drinks menu with Barbie-theme cocktails.
Add in an extra bar cart on wheels is handy to roll to wherever you need them if the afternoon drinks need to migrate to the seating area as the sun goes down.
I also commissioned some iced biscuits in the shape of roller boots, lips and butterflies, and then added some little palm-shape confetti to straws using glue dots for an extra touch.
Instagrammable moments
Having a background of some sort to take photos against and capture the day was part of my brief, so I chose one of Wayfair's hexagonal backdrop arches and decorated it with balloons, tons of faux flowers and pink streamers. I also added some fun props, like the oversized glitter ball, roller boots and dressing-up items like hats and sunglasses for fun – and, of course, there was a huge injection of Barbie pink to the set.
Get the look
Get that retro Miami look with these mint green sun lounger - Barbie and Greta Gerwig would approve
You can't beat a pink sofa, especially in an on-trend curved silhouette
Give your outdoor Barbie-land a grown up look with a chic area rug
