New pink house rides the Barbie wave

The Goth Castle completed its transformation into the Barbiecore Castle on Friday, July 28.

This property marks the third pink house in Hudson owned by local business owner Brooke Fleetwood. She was inspired by the “Barbie” movie, deciding — just one week before the movie’s launch on July 21 — to begin the transformation. To the outside world, it all seemed to happen in a day.

“One day, it was pink,” she said. “And people were like, ‘Whoa, she did it again.’”

With her full-time career as the owner of BB Makeup Cosmetics, Fleetwood is not new to the world of glitz and glam. But the pink house phenomenon did not begin as a business.  

Fleetwood first created her Pink Castle, located off Vine Street, eight years ago. With over 4,400 square feet, three bedrooms and plenty of pink, she describes it as her “dream house.” 

“I still love it until this day, Fleetwood said. “But I wanted people to experience it too because not everyone gets to live this crazy, over-the-top, luxurious life.”

When the Super Bowl came to the Twin Cities, she tried renting out her residence. Over time, she began a side career renovating, renting and selling 100-year-old homes.

Located at 1031 Second Street, the newest pink house had long operated as the Goth Castle. With the address’ tie to Halloween and her appreciation for darker colors, Fleetwood decided to create a different experience with a gothic style. 

“I have two different worlds to be: Barbie and dark,” she said. 

While people enjoyed the dark look, customers wanted more options for pink, according to Fleetwood. Due to its popularity, the Pink Castle often is booked out a year in advance.

“When this dang ‘Barbie’ movie came out, I was like, ‘We have to do something over the top,’” Fleetwood said. 

That was when she decided to create another pink house: the Barbiecore Castle, an over-the-top dream house complete with copious amounts of Barbie-themed decorations. 

While completing renovations, the house was still rented out to customers as the Goth Castle. Fleetwood found time between renters to paint rooms one at a time.

Much of the house, floor to ceiling, is covered in pink paint and adorned with custom decorations.

“You would think that Barbie decorations would be everywhere right now,” Fleetwood said. “But they’re not.”

From spray painting picture frames and furniture, many items were customized to fit the theme and — above all else — reflect the same bright, dazzling pink.

“It’s such a vibrant, happy, loving color… it just makes me happy,” Fleetwood said. 

The city of Hudson reached out to Fleetwood and her attorney when it was notified of the potential repainting, according to City Administrator Aaron Reeves. Both parties agreed the property did not meet the criteria to have color requirements.

“Overall unless a property meets a number of criteria including historic designation or located in an historic district the City does not regulate home color,” Reeves said.

When it came time, the exterior was painted pink in one day.

“I always want to feel happy,” Fleetwood said. “I decorate it how I want to decorate it and not how somebody else wants to decorate it.”

Going forward, Fleetwood plans to continue selling short-term rentals for the property. Many of her customers utilize the space for bachelorette parties and family gatherings. 

As with any of her properties, Fleetwood said it is never finished. She will continue to redecorate and innovate in the space. 

Despite the controversy, Fleetwood is thankful for the community.

“The positivity that has come throughout this whole pink situation, with all of my buildings, is just unbelievable — the love that people share,” she said. 

People can learn more at fleetwoodrentals.com.