In 1962, Barbie moved into her very first Dream House. Mattel’s No. 816 was nothing like the enormous pink plastic Dreamhouses that would come decades later. Instead, it was a stylish, portable mid-century studio made largely from printed cardboard.
The house folded into its own carrying case and opened to reveal a remarkably grown-up space filled with slim modern furniture, a sofa, bed, wardrobe, books, records, telephone and television/stereo console. Its turquoise, yellow, wood-grain and plaid décor perfectly captured the early 1960s.
Perhaps most fascinating is what the house represented. Barbie had a home of her own—a fashionable little space designed around her independent life. More than sixty years later, the original 1962 Dream House is both a beloved Barbie collectible and a miniature time capsule of mid-century American design.
Holiday-Themed home deco: MATTEL 1962 BARBIE DREAM HOUSE – HOUSE MINIATURES
Opened for play: about 31½” wide × 16½” deep × 12½” high
