LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion review

LEGO Friends has proven ambitious since its reboot, and nothing summarises the mini-doll theme's evolution like the stunning 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion.

Whether as part of LEGO Marvel, City, Icons or any other theme, a modern mansion is something that has never been fully realised in LEGO bricks before. Thankfully, that's all changed with the colourful but graceful 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion. The colossal creation is an exemplary example of how far LEGO Friends has come – and also brings back the original cast, a full year on from the introduction of an entirely new cast of characters with the theme's reboot in 2023.

Those familiar with LEGO Friends won't need many more reasons to pick up the model, but those who have been avoiding the theme for one reason or another would be doing themselves a disservice by missing out on 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion.

--- LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion set details ---

Theme: LEGO Friends Set name: 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion Release: January 1, 2024

Price: £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 Pieces: 2,275 Mini-dolls: 10

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--- Where to buy LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion ---

LEGO Friends' massive 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion is available now at LEGO.com and in LEGO Stores, to where it appears to be entirely exclusive (at least in the UK). It costs £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 and includes 2,275 pieces.

--- LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion build ---

Despite the many opportunities to depict a modern, lavish home similar to those found in Los Angeles – such as Tony Stark's Malibu home from the Marvel Cinematic Universe – LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion offers something entirely new for the portfolio. The LEGO Group has tackled Iron Man's Malibu mansion before, but we've never seen anything like this set at this scale, scope and size. That's a rare achievement after over 60 years of LEGO sets.

42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion is already off to a strong start, then – and it only gets better for the build. Every inch of this model is visually appealing, using uncommon pieces, vibrant colours or notable building techniques for a stunning experience from start to finish. The process of putting together all 2,275 pieces is relaxing despite the set's size as nothing is overly complicated or confusing, but that relative simplicity doesn't affect the quality of the model or the appearance of the finished set.

The mansion has all the hallmark features of the luxury hillside homes. From an infinity pool using an ingeniously simple method to float mini-dolls to the sharp, modern angles and the mix of natural greenery wherever possible, this is the ultimate LEGO mansion. The outside spaces mostly offer ample room to pose mini-dolls, though it can be hard to get your fingers in the area underneath the bedroom. The decision to include both a pool and a hot tub rounds out an impressive outdoor space with plenty of activities for minifigures and mini-dolls alike. Everything is scaled to either kind of LEGO figure too.

The abundance of transparent panels for windows teases the interior, even in the pool, and thankfully the inside is just as detailed as the outside. There are six distinct rooms and a garage as well as two spaces on the roof to explore. A lack of play features in the set plays partially to its strengths, offering even more interior space without having to accommodate many mechanisms. Those that are included use all available space too.

That said, the kitchen and bathroom are both undoubtedly small. Compared to other areas of the home, the kitchen is especially lacklustre with only one countertop and a sink. The bathroom is similarly small, but a large sticker helps increase the level of detail to an acceptable level.

The furnishings are as brightly coloured as the exterior, as is to be expected from a LEGO Friends set. Thankfully, very little furniture is immovable and almost everything can be easily modified to best suit your preferences. Transforming one room into a different area is entirely possible with a brick separator and some effort, one of which is provided in the box.

Stickers are abundant in 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion but most aren't crucial. Of note in particular is an entire wall of photos paying homage to the original cast of LEGO Friends, who are all grown up in this set. It's a touching callback to the origins of the theme that helps to tie it into the likes of 41730 Autumn's House, which had a similar Easter egg.

Accessing the interior is easy thanks to the open back of the mansion. While this may be perceived as a missed opportunity by some, the ease of access and lower piece count and price are worth the lack of a fourth wall. The missing wall makes it easy and enticing to pose mini-dolls inside too as the dollhouse-style design works perfectly for LEGO Friends once again.

For a LEGO set, the play features in 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion are surprisingly limited, as much as a lack of them affords extra interior space. They consist of a pull-out bed in the basement, a car-launching feature in the garage and an elevator. While it's exceedingly fun to pose mini-dolls inside, so few functions in an expensive LEGO model is hard to ignore, as great as they are.

Andrea's lifestyle must be lavish to afford an elevator and it's one of the most enjoyable functions in the build, save for one small caveat. Twisting a crank hidden at the top of the set raises a platform covered in tiles across three of the four floors in the set. Using tiles on the base of the elevator piece makes it easy to slide mini-dolls in, but they are prone to falling over and proving hard to get out should you move the mansion. Removing these tiles fixes that issue, but it's harder to place them on the studs in the small space.

The bed makes great use of the available space and it sits under a small platform midway up the pool to pose mini-dolls and minifigures with their head above the water. It's easy to forget it's there with it hidden away so well and it provides another place for mini-dolls to sleep should they want to stay the night.

The garage car launcher is by far the best feature in the set. Flicking a lever allows the car to race out of the garage by raising a ramp and opening the garage nearly simultaneously. It works flawlessly and is compatible with LEGO cars of a similar width to 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion's vehicle. The option to flick the lever partway to open the garage door and not launch the car immediately out is a great bonus too.

What's especially great about this car is that nothing about it feels like an afterthought: the design is sleek and vibrant and fits perfectly with the mansion. It's not what you're coming to this set for, but it's still worth its weight in plastic.

--- LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion characters ---

After the return of Mia in 41730 Autumn's House, the entirety of the original LEGO Friends group is back in 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion. They make up five of the 10 mini-dolls in the huge set, each of which stands out from the rest. Understandably though, the original cast is the main attraction. Andrea, Emma, Olivia, Mia and Stephanie have all grown up and reunited for a party at the mansion. As such, their outfits are suitably stylish and lavish.

For LEGO Friends enthusiasts, seeing all five of the original characters reunited in one set may be reason enough to pick up 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion. Even those new to the theme will be able to appreciate the high-fashion outfits they wear. This contrasts with the rest of the mini-dolls though.

Aside from the original LEGO Friends characters, Ji-Won, Leo, Autumn, Paisley and Imani are included. Ji-Won and Imani are Andrea's family, offering two new faces for LEGO Friends. Their outfits are colourful and vibrant and it's only appropriate for them to be included in this model, but they're not as luxurious as those of the original five LEGO Friends. Despite this, their inclusion expands the world of Heartlake City and continues Andrea's story sufficiently as an adult.

Otherwise, Autumn, Paisley and Leo from the new LEGO Friends cast are included in standard outfits for the trio. That's only three of eight new team members. While it would have been great to see and compare both eras of LEGO Friends together, that would make for a total of 13 mini-dolls taking away Ji-Won and Imani. It's a bit more than can be reasonably expected of 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion, as great as it would be to have all of the LEGO Friends together from both generations.

The character selection in 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion is simply incredible and offers an amazing experience for longtime LEGO Friends enthusiasts, or a refreshing (mostly) fashion-driven experience for newcomers.

--- LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion price ---

For £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 and with 2,275 pieces featuring 10 mini-dolls, 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion is well worth the standard price. As an exclusive LEGO set, it's not likely to be discounted any time soon but it's a great pick for a double points event in the future.

Even without a discount, LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion is a fantastic deal and you won't have any regrets about picking up the model. Considering how rare LEGO mansions are, it's not unexpected to see that the set has already sold out multiple times since its launch nearly two months ago.

--- LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion pictures ---

--- LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion pros and cons ---

Whether you are a longtime LEGO Friends enthusiast or completely ambivalent about the theme, don't miss out on 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion. It's a stunning set with enjoyable and visually appealing architecture in a style that is rare in LEGO models.

An exemplary amount of thought has gone into every inch of this set to best pay tribute to LEGO Friends' past, present and future. Two generations of mini-dolls, stunning architecture and the continued departure of predominantly pink colour schemes showcase the evolution of LEGO Friends. The exterior and interior features and functions all play to the set's many strengths, as difficult as it can be to pose mini-dolls in some areas.

There is no other LEGO set truly like 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion, at least until the LEGO Ideas Twilight set arrives – but even then, the vibrant colours and water features in the LEGO Friends set will still help it to stand out in the LEGO Group's modern property portfolio.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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--- Alternatives to LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion ---

It's hard to name even a perfect alternative to 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion as modern mansions are rare in the LEGO portfolio. Before the launch of the upcoming LEGO Ideas Twilight set, your best bet is going to be 21330 Home Alone for an expansive home with detailed interior spaces, though at a higher price of £259.99 / $299.99 / €299.99.

Otherwise, both 10325 Alpine Lodge and 42620 Olly and Paisley's Family Houses are open-backed models with details on a level similar to 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion, though neither are quite on the same scale as the huge LEGO Friends set.

--- LEGO Friends 42639 Andrea's Modern Mansion FAQs ---