Rethinking pink – this California home gives Barbie's favorite shade the luxe look

A high-end home with Barbie-pink walls? Seriously? Well, actually, as you can see from the photos, this is a home that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a bright, fun and entertaining place to be. But it's all grown-up here, not child's play, and there's much more to this house than straightforward Barbiecore. 

For a start, its interior design is thoughtful and inspiring. One of the first things that struck us as we toured this home (after the pink, admittedly), was how the thread of color weaves through all the main reception rooms – sometimes pink, sometimes deep or bright blue, with occasional glimpses of vibrant teal and green. 

Fans of bold colors will love this home, fans of pink will love it still more. And for anyone wishing to embrace a Barbie pink scheme of their own, San Francisco-based interior designer Kendall Wilkinson has some good advice. Wilkinson, who designed all the interiors for this Silicon Valley ranch-style home, says it is important to 'elevate the room and and make sure that it is designed with taste and luxurious fabrics'. She shares her design insights below.

Let's start with that showstopping pink living room. 'It's cheerful, bright, and unexpected, and it's especially inviting when you mix it with blue,' says the designer, who included luxe velvet fabrics and gold accents in her living room ideas. 'It is important that all design elements are elevated and high-end, and make sure to include a sense of sparkle. When selecting furniture, it has to be strong pieces to stand up to the Barbie pink color, without overpowering it.'

To keep things tasteful the designer used a high-lacquer finish  'This is a very high-end way to apply the paint, so it doesn't look flat, and the walls look shiny like a really pretty jewel box,' explains the designer. The pink shade is Benjamin Moore's May Flowers 1324

Swivel chairs from Studio Van Den Akker offer a softer counter note and sit beautifully next to the clients' polished brass coffee table, with a brass chandelier from Remains Lighting above.

This is a house designed and built to entertain. Its owners often host charity events for up to 100 people. So for the main interconnecting entertaining spaces, designer Kendall Wilkinson stuck to the two vivacious hues. Bubblegum pink and blue feature in the entry, living room, and dining room. 'All three spaces spoke to each other,' says Wilkinson. 'Each has a more vibrant color and is a conversation starter. The entertaining spaces are designed to have that wow factor.'

Key pieces in the living room, above, include a pair of sofas by Kimberly Denman upholstered in a navy Zimmer + Rhode velvet, and a custom stone coffee table from 1stDibs.

The entry, which is connected to the living and dining room, is covered in a custom Area Environments wallpaper, depicting the sky and ocean. Anyone looking to put the wow-factor into their entryway ideas will be inspired by this fabulous foyer. Key pieces include a pair of Vladimir Kagan lounge chairs, sourced through Holly Hunt, a custom-designed Tete-et-Tete (note the Barbie pink trim!) from KWD, vintage brass mid-century sconces from Chairish, and a tropical chandelier from Future Perfect. 

Even the pool house gets the playful Barbie treatment, with a KWD custom-designed sofa upholstered in Dedar Campus Giardino and a mini kitchen in pink. The flash of 'gold' is provided by a Mario Torres Vintage Tropical Jungle chandelier, which is in fact hand woven reed. The wallpaper is Pierre Frey's Amazone Jais.

The pool house bathroom/changing room features the same aqua and pink shades, with 2Modern's Diabla Lipstick armchair the standout fun accessory, alongside a tropical-print wallcovering. 

Back in the main house, the butler's pantry continues the strong color and pattern theme, with the sophisticated Ourobors Noir wallcovering from Pierre Frey at the heart of the pantry ideas, and the perfect counterpoint to the cabinets in Benjamin Moore's Ming Jade. 

Explaining her dining room ideas, designer Kendall Wilkinson says she chose the strong blue to cover the walls and ceiling, 'with pink accents that appear in the custom-designed area rug and Pierre Frey drapery, tying back to the living room'. Vintage Murano glass sconces and a striking chain light fixture with a bronze patina from Hudson Furniture illuminate the space.  

As we move away from the classic entertaining spaces in the home and towards the private family rooms, there's a subtle shift in terms of color and feel. Still maintaining the luxe finishes of the public-facing rooms, kitchen ideas are somewhat quieter, with black enamel appliances from Blue Star, crisp white walls, warm wood floors and walnut cabinets to ground the space.  

The primary bedroom, too, is much calmer, in contrast to the entertaining spaces. 'It is all about texture with a minimal use of print,' explains the designer. 'Cool grays blanket the room, which is furnished with a channel-tufted headboard from Baker upholstered in Holland & Sherry's Astral Ice Cap/Modern Legacy wool, and drapery and wallcovering in a Carleton V. Ankara textile.' And anyone on the hunt for a hint of pink might notice the vintage Italian pink blush Murano glass and brass Sputnik chandelier, from 1st Dibs.

Bathroom ideas in the primary bathroom follow the bedroom's lead, with monochrome tones in marble and flooring, with just a tasteful – and glamorous –
touch of pink in another sublime Italian vintage Murano glass chandelier.

There's something for everyone in this smart and playful Silicon Valley home. Barbie, Ken, and we lesser mortals in between can't help but be delighted and inspired by its pinks, blues and luxurious flashes of gold.

Interior design: Kendall Wilkinson Design
Photography: Trevor Tondro