How to build your own Barbie Dreamhouse with a home renovation loan

By Sara Borman · · 3 min read
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pink paint for Barbie inspired home renovations

While your dream house might not be Barbie pink or feature a three level slide from the bedroom, it’s easy to get wrapped up in your wishlist when it comes to home renovations. Though you might have tamer goals than everyone’s favourite doll, there’s no reason your home shouldn’t be your own Dreamhouse. 

Whether or not you take inspiration from Margot Robbie’s Architectural Digest tour of the Barbie Dreamhouse, there are plenty of lessons to learn from the queen of pink. If you’re looking into using a personal loan to turn your home into a dream home, there are some major lessons to learn:

These Barbie-inspired renovations can add value to your home

In the same way you’d pay more for the dollhouse with the pool and the elevator than the basic model, the right home renovations can add value to your home. 

  • Barbie’s pool may have been in-appearance-only, but homes with pools can add hundreds of thousands dollars to the value of your home (dependent on the area you live in and the size of your house). 
  • A fresh coat of paint can make a real difference, refreshing your headspace and your physical surroundings. While Barbieland might have been a bit intense for your tastes (and caused a national shortage of pink paint!), take that inspiration and add a slick of paint to modernise your space.
  • Loved the concept of Barbie’s top-storey bedroom? Adding a level to your home, or an extra bedroom, can add significant value to your house. Not only does it increase your home’s square footage, but it can also create extra storage and possibilities. When it comes to selling your home, you’ve also expanded your market.
  • We all know that life in plastic is fantastic. In this case, we’re talking about fake plants. If you’re not the best at caring for fussy plants, but know how much impact greenery makes to a space, adding some fake plant life is one of our favourite cheap ways to makeover our space.
  • If all of this has you thinking about consumerism and how you can do something good for the environment, consider going green. Switching to solar power or converting to an electric vehicle could put you in line for a green loan, which often have lower interest rates. There may also be government rebates available, and long-term savings on your energy bills.
Architectural Digest Barbie Dreamhouse tour

How a home renovation loan can help you

There are a range of ways to finance your home renovations, with a home renovation loan offering one of the most flexible ways to access funds. 

A home renovation loan is a type of personal loan used specifically for changing up your home. Whether that means a kitchen remodel, adding a storey, doing some landscaping, or just a fresh coat of paint, generally once your loan has been funded you can use it on the project of your choosing.

Home renovation loans are repaid over time, usually in monthly instalments, but some personal loan providers offer different repayment plans. Loans will be offered for different terms to be paid back with interest at fixed or variable rates, and can be unsecured or secured against a valuable asset.

Start comparing loans below, or find a snapshot of Mozo’s best personal loans right now. If you're looking for some other Barbie-themed goodies, check out our Barbie shopping list or find out how much it would cost to travel to Barbieland in real life.

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Last updated 24 November 2024 Important disclosures and comparison rate warning*
  • Low Rate Personal Loan

    Excellent Credit, $5,000 - $75,000

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    6.57% p.a.to 8.39% p.a.
    7.19% p.a.to 8.75% p.a.based on $30,000
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    Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.

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    6.75% p.a.to 26.95% p.a.
    6.75% p.a.to 26.95% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Borrow up to $50,000 unsecured. Perfect if you earn more than $22,100 p.a. and have good to excellent credit. Multi-year winner of Mozo’s Experts Choice Unsecured Personal Loan Award, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024^'

    Repayment terms from 2 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.75% would cost $35,430.23 including fees.

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  • Unsecured Personal Loan

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    6.56% p.a.to 21.99% p.a.
    6.56% p.a.to 22.79% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Competitive fixed rates for borrowers on 1-7 year loans from $5,000 up to $50,000. $0 monthly fees and no early repayment fees to pay. Fast application process on the Revolut app. According to Revolut and subject to loan approval, you'll receive your money into your Revolut account straight away.

    Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.56% would cost $35,768.68 including fees.

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    5.76% p.a.to 24.03% p.a.
    6.55% p.a.to 24.98% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Fast, easy and 100% online, this is a low cost loan with no ongoing fees or extra repayment penalties. It's perfect for savvy borrowers with great credit. If you’re over 18 and earn above $30,000, you could qualify (other eligibility criteria may apply).

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 5.76% would cost $35,173.52 including fees.

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