TikToker creates Barbie-inspired dream house
Whenever he was going through hard times, Jonny Carmack said he would think about the characters in his Barbie doll houses and they would give him motivation to want to create a similar life for himself. In 2020, that opportunity came when he and his partner purchased a house built in 1890 in Danbury.
Taking inspiration from the Barbie franchise he loved, he painted both the exterior and interior of the old house with mostly bright colors. He filled the house with mainly pastelcolored vintage furniture, often from thrift stores like Goodwill, and installed similar carpets.
“If you can just visualize the space, (you can create it.) I firmly believe most spaces have potential,” Carmack said. “That’s something I always tell people who reach out, you’re not buying the prettiest house right now. But, you know, paint can go a long way and a little bit of (do-ityourself projects.)”
Carmack’s love of the Barbie franchise started when he was a child growing up in Westchester, New York. He recalled that his mother would “sneak” him Barbie dolls to play with in private because others wouldn’t accept his hobby. He was also drawn to playing female characters in video
Jonny Carmack's Barbie-inspired house in Danbury.
games, such as Princess Peach in “Super Mario Bros.” and the Powerpuff Girls.
“I was always drawn to the color of pink and things that were more feminine in nature. So it started, literally, when I was in my developmental ages growing up, and I would even want to wear pink to school, and then people would be really mean about it. But the driving force was really me being inspired by Barbie and the whole franchise,”
Carmack said.
Aside from just creating the house of his dreams, Carmack added that doing the renovations himself has greatly benefited his mental health.
“It’s therapeutic and healing to just transform something in a creative way and keep myself busy through these DIY projects and making the space new again, and feel bright and vibrant,” Carmack said. “Interior design shouldn’t be so calculated it’s really not a science. It’s just about filling your home with things you like and finding meaningful ways to connect with the space and having it help you feel better about life because life is hard.”
Carmack showcases the house and his projects online, where he is known as Vintage Show Pony. He has over 50,000 followers on Instagram and over 132,000 on TikTok. Carmack also sells furniture from his house through his store on Etsy, ShopVSP. Carmack added
Jonny Carmack in his Barbie-inspired house.
that because of the release of the “Barbie” movie, he has seen more interest in his house.
“It’s just been a wild ride ever since I learned how to trust myself. And just go for what came most naturally to me, which was always home decor,” Carmack said.
The house has also been used in promotion shoots for brands like Milfordbased swimwear company One with Swim and the Trying Not to Care podcast.
“Me, just allowing my home to pull the creativity out of people and promote other small businesses and brands has been really monumental for me as just a human,” Carmack said.
The content creator hopes that he can inspire others to enjoy what they love openly and without fear of judgment.
“A realization for me as I get older is to just do what I want to do and share it with the world. What you put out, you’ll get back, and that’s just how I live, it’s really freeing and it’s really inspiring,” Carmack said.