It's no secret that LEGO Friends
That said, LEGO Friends' usual assortment of bright colours aren't to everyone's tastes and while they're more muted in the 2024 model, they might still be a bit distracting to some or less than ideal for a non-LEGO Friends display. There's only one solution – to remove the theme from the model (to a certain degree).
Thankfully, it's easy and inexpensive to swap the hues of pink, orange and yellow to match the aesthetic of the rest of the build. The interior serves as an amazing foundation for a makeover too. We've put together a guide and tour on how to transform the exterior and interior, taking LEGO Friends out of
Transforming 42639 Andrea’s Modern Mansion exterior
The modern architecture, overall colour palette and blend of nature in
It might look like a tricky task but the simplistic yet endearing foundations of
Continuing the transformation, the rainbow garage door panels in front of the huge windows featured in
These can be removed by taking off the frames entirely and swapping the panels for transparent pieces of a different colour. The frames can then be added once more to finish this stage of the makeover. We'd recommend making sure that the garage panels are level as the set is designed to just barely fit them in and you might struggle to reattach the frames if they're slightly in the wrong place. It's not a difficult job but it's worth checking by placing the upper or lower frame and making sure that the panels are as close to it as they can go.
Another minor change that you might choose to integrate concerns the infinity pool. A bright yellow clip is used in
The garage is by far the most challenging part of this transformation, but only for those who are choosing to make these changes once you've built the official
Those who have already built
Most of the yellow pieces up top can be swapped by simply removing them from the finished build. Next, you'll need to place the mansion with the front of the model facing down and peel the plate that is connected to the garage away carefully. This should allow you to work from the bottom and change the necessary pieces accordingly. Doing this may result in the mechanism for the ramp coming off but it can be inserted back into the build during this process without any major issues. The grey ramp will need to be removed too, but this is easy to reattach afterwards.
Once you've swapped out everything, carefully place the plate back on, flip the mansion upright and let its weight attach the build to the plate properly. Apply a small amount of pressure to ensure it is attached securely too. This process will only be relevant for those who have already built the mansion and it's much easier to integrate these changes when starting from scratch.
Here's a comprehensive parts list for everything we did to transform the exterior of
| Image | LEGO piece | Part number | Design Number | Quantity | Price (per piece) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | FLAT TILE 1X4 | 243101 | 2431 | 26 | £0.11 / $0.12 / €0.12 |
 | FLAT TILE 1X2 | 306901 | 3069 | 2 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | FLAT TILE 1X6 | 663601 | 6636 | 2 | £0.12 / $0.13 / €0.13 |
 | FLAT TILE 1X1 | 307001 | 3070 | 2 | £0.05 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | PLATE 2X6 | 379501 | 3795 | 2 | £0.17 / $0.19 / €0.19 |
 | PLATE 2X4 | 302001 | 3020 | 2 | £0.12 / $0.14 / €0.14 |
 | FLAT TILE 2X4 | 4560178 | 87079 | 2 | £0.13 / $0.16 / €0.15 |
 | FLAT TILE 2X2 | 306801 | 3068 | 1 | £0.07 / $0.08 / €0.07 |
 | BRICK 1X6 | 300901 | 3009 | 1 | £0.22 / $0.25 / €0.25 |
 | BRICK 1X4 | 301001 | 3010 | 6 | £0.13 / $0.16 / €0.15 |
 | BRICK 1X2 | 300401 | 3004 | 10 | £0.10 / $0.10 / €0.11 |
 | PLATE 1X3 | 362301 | 3623 | 6 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | GARAGE PANEL | 6271641 | 40672 | 12 | £0.19 / $0.22 / €0.21 |
 | GLASS FOR FRAME 1X2X3 | 6252313 | 35287 | 3 | £0.12 / $0.14 / €0.14 |
 | BRICK 1X1X3 1/3, W/ ARCH | 6185956 | 30935 | 4 | £0.28 / $0.31 / €0.31 |
 | PLATE 1X2 W/HOLDER, VERTICAL | 6337269 | 30935 | 1 | £0.13 / $0.15 / €0.15 |
| Total price | £10.48 / $11.10 / €11.67 |
Click here for a full list of the exterior parts on Pick a Brick, ready to select the quantities and add them to your order.
Transforming 42639 Andrea’s Modern Mansion interior
The interior of
Starting in the basement's music studio, we've used a brick separator to peel away the pink from the floor, the shelf and the bed while retaining the pull-out bed feature. The bed just so happens to fit minifigures better than mini-dolls too. The pink windows on the edge of the pool work for our transformation of the music studio into a gaming space as backlighting for the monitor. You can change these by switching them out while putting together the mansion as they are an integral part of the foundations.
We've added various decorations in place of Andrea's record and other items using spare parts from
While most of this transformation can be done without taking apart the foundations of the build, those approaching this makeover with a finished
Similar to how we described in our exterior transformation for the garage, peel away the baseplate beneath the music studio and replace every pink tile with one of your preferred colours (brown in our case). The edge of the bed can be easily switched out without taking apart the foundation by pulling the bed forward.
Doing this may result in some of the pool's foundations coming off but this should work in your favour, helping you guide the plate back into position. Flip the mansion upright and let the weight of the build and a small amount of pressure attach the plate securely and this step is done. A custom gaming chair embracing some of the LEGO Friends colour scheme completes this section of the mansion's makeover and we've added this to the parts list as it works better for minifigures than the green stool.
The kitchen, while small, doesn't need many modifications to make it more applicable. We've opted to switch out the pink bricks and the floor, both of which are simple and easy to change.
The floor need only be peeled away using a brick separator but the cabinet and sink area will require you to gently lift the ceiling above it until there is just enough of a gap to remove this subassembly, swap the brick and put it back. Do not remove the upper floor entirely as it is not necessary; you just need a big enough gap to take the cabinet section out.
Ensure that the upper floor is back in place securely and it's a significant transformation for another room in
Moving upstairs, the main bedroom is brightly coloured and we've decided to mostly stick with this colour scheme and the furnishings. Aside from the mirror, everything here can be removed and easily changed. Swap the mirror with some art and this room could become anything with ease. That's a trend for almost everything upstairs, offering incredible foundations for your creations.
Our suggested changes include taking the pastel colours off the bed and swapping the table below the mirror to have a gold surface instead for a more lavish feel.
The hall between the bedroom and the children's room upstairs features many references to the original cast of LEGO Friends and Andrea's life in
For this makeover, we've swapped out the photo collage for some brickwork and modern custom artwork integrated into masonry. The five-stud wide space offers plenty of possibilities for other designs though. Similar to the kitchen, lift the roof carefully, remove the wall structure and switch the assembly before pushing everything back into place to change this section.
The floor, while brightly-coloured, has an interesting build that doesn't clash as much as other parts of the mansion in our opinion and we've kept it in our version of
The children's bedroom and bathroom are the final rooms to transform and we decided to keep the bathroom exactly as it is. It's not as easy to reach into this space and change anything and equally, it's an essential room for minifigures and mini-dolls alike.
The remainder of the children's area has undergone a complete transformation, taking away all furnishings and inserting a home gym instead. Weights on the wall are in place of the old shelves and most of the space is taken up by a treadmill based on felix.rebricks' free design on Rebrickable. This area can be similarly customised completely as almost everything is only attached to the floor ready to be removed.
There's no doubt that the interior of
| Image | LEGO piece | Part number | Design Number | Quantity | Price (per piece) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | FLAT TILE 1X4 | 6102998 | 2431 | 2 | £0.11 / $0.12 / €0.12 |
 | FLAT TILE 1X1 | 6177146 | 3070 | 1 | £0.05 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | FLAT TILE 1X2 | 6021997 | 3069 | 1 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 2X2 W 1 KNOB | 6102994 | 87580 | 2 | £0.08 / $0.10 / €0.10 |
 | FLAT TILE 2X2 | 6102990 | 3068 | 1 | £0.07 / $0.08 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 1X6 | 4221590 | 3666 | 1 | £0.12 / $0.14 / €0.14 |
 | BRICK 1X6 | 4211193 | 3009 | 1 | £0.22 / $0.25 / €0.25 |
 | PLATE 1X2 W. 1 HORIZONTAL SNAP | 6313116 | 65458 | 3 | £0.12 / $0.14 / €0.14 |
 | FLAT TILE 1X1, 1/2 CIRCLE | 6293402 | 35399 | 5 | £0.04 / $0.04 / €0.04 |
 | PLATE 1X1 ROUND W/3.2 SHAFT | 6157554 | 26047 | 1 | £0.07 / $0.08 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 2X2 ROUND | 403226 | 4032 | 1 | £0.06 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | PLATE 1X2 W. STICK 3.18 | 4225201 | 48336 | 1 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 1X2 W/HOLDER, VERTICAL | 6310268 | 49563 | 1 | £0.13 / $0.15 / €0.15 |
 | PLATE 2X6 | 4518687 | 3795 | 1 | £0.17 / $0.19 / €0.19 |
 | BRICK 1X1X1 2/3, W/ VERT. KNOBS | 6201911 | 32952 | 2 | £0.10 / $0.09 / €0.11 |
 | PROFILE BRICK 1x4 SINGLE GRO. | 6232136 | 15533 | 2 | £0.17 / $0.20 / €0.20 |
 | TILE 2X2, W/ DEG. 45 CUT | 6217875 | 35787 | 6 | £0.07 / $0.08 / €0.08 |
 | WHEEL AXLE Ø8.2/Ø1.9 | 249626 | 2496 | 2 | £0.13 / $0.15 / €0.15 |
 | LIGHT SWORD SHAFT | 4598897 | 64567 | 2 | £0.05 / $0.05 / €0.05 |
 | TECHNIC 5M BEAM | 4142135 | 32316 | 2 | £0.17 / $0.19 / €0.19 |
 | CONNECTOR PEG W. FRICTION | 6279875 | 61332 | 2 | £0.06 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | BRICK 1X1 W. 1 KNOB | 4558953 | 87087 | 3 | £0.08 / $0.10 / €0.11 |
 | HANDLEBAR W/3.2 SHAFT/BAR ENDS | 4644102 | 98397 | 1 | £0.12 / $0.14 / €0.14 |
 | PLATE 1X2 | 4211398 | 3023 | 1 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | PL.ROUND 1X1 W. THROUGHG. HOLE | 6168647 | 28626 | 1 | £0.04 / $0.04 / €0.04 |
 | PLATE 1X2 W. 1 KNOB | 6066097 | 15573 | 1 | £0.05 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | PLATE 1X2 W/HOLDER, VERTICAL | 6337268 | 49563 | 1 | £0.13 / $0.15 / €0.15 |
 | T-PIECE | 4211508 | 4697 | 1 | £0.08 / $0.09 / €0.10 |
 | CONNECTOR PEG W. KNOB | 4211483 | 4274 | 4 | £0.04 / $0.04 / €0.05 |
 | PLATE 1X1 W. UP RIGHT HOLDER | 6308012 | 44842 | 1 | £0.11 / $0.12 / €0.12 |
 | PROFILE BRICK 1x4 SINGLE GRO. | 6055309 | 15533 | 4 | £0.17 / $0.20 / €0.20 |
 | PROFILE BRICK 1x2 SINGLE GRO. | 4656783 | 98283 | 6 | £0.12 / $0.14 / €0.13 |
 | BRICK 1X1 | 300523 | 3005 | 2 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | BRICK 1X1 | 300521 | 3005 | 3 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 2X3 | 6035540 | 3021 | 1 | £0.11 / $0.13 / €0.13 |
 | PLATE 1X2 W. 1 KNOB | 6092594 | 15573 | 1 | £0.05 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | PLATE 2X6 | 4550329 | 3795 | 1 | £0.17 / $0.19 / €0.19 |
 | BRICK 1X4 | 6001822 | 3010 | 1 | £0.13 / $0.16 / €0.15 |
 | TILE 2X6 | 6381921 | 69729 | 5 | £0.19 / $0.18 / €0.21 |
 | PLATE 1X6 | 6295464 | 3666 | 1 | £0.12 / $0.14 / €0.14 |
 | PLATE 1x2 W. 2 SHAFTS ø 3.2 | 6099483 | 18649 | 1 | £0.10 / $0.12 / €0.12 |
 | FLAT TILE 2X2 | 6054406 | 3068 | 1 | £0.07 / $0.08 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 2X2, W/ REDUCED KNOBS | 6293401 | 33909 | 1 | £0.05 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | PLATE 1X4, W/ 2 KNOBS, NO. 2 | 6257604 | 41740 | 2 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 1X2, W/ 1 KNOB | 6132424 | 15573 | 4 | £0.05 / $0.06 / €0.06 |
 | PLATE 1X1 W. UP RIGHT HOLDER | 6438975 | 44842 | 4 | £0.11 / $0.10 / €0.12 |
 | ROOF TILE 1X2X2/3, NO. 21 | 6329152 | 73784 | 1 | £0.37 / $0.43 / €0.43 |
 | FLAT TILE 1X6 | 6185309 | 6636 | 2 | £0.12 / $0.13 / €0.13 |
 | BRICK 1X1 | 6452907 | 3005 | 2 | £0.06 / $0.06 / €0.07 |
 | PLATE 2X2 W 1 KNOB | 6186383 | 23893 | 1 | £0.06 / $0.07 / €0.07 |
 | 1/2 CIRCLE PLATE 2X6 | 6167854 | 18980 | 2 | £0.16 / $0.18 / €0.18 |
| Total price | £10.03 / $11.15 / €11.42 |
Click here for the full list of the interior parts on Pick a Brick, ready to select the quantities and add them to your order.
Whether you want to change the interior, exterior or both, this transformation will cost as little as £10.48 / $11.10 / €11.67 for the outside on Pick a Brick or £20.51 / $22.25 / €23.09 for everything at the time of writing. That's not including service fees and we opted to pick up some extra pieces for other projects to remove those (which requires a minimum order of £10 per basket, for both Standard and Bestseller pieces) and save money overall. That's on top of £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 for the set itself.
While some LEGO sets almost require a little tinkering to look the part,
But the modified version of the set has its merits: not only does it broaden the build's appeal to a wider audience while maintaining the core design concepts of the original model, it also still manages to grab your attention while blending in better on a shelf. Whether you prefer mini-dolls or minifigures to live in the transformed mansion,
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