Celeb homes that scream ‘new money’: Interiors expert reveals whose property makes them look ‘tacky not wealthy’

From a giant grey couch in crushed velvet to the carpet in a matching shade of nothingness, there’s a certain look beloved by mid-tier celebrities who love to show off their homes on Instagram.

The likes of Molly Mae Hague and Michelle Keegan reside in monotone palaces where everything is 50 shades of beige – or grey – but some of their counterparts have added a few key fixtures to show off their superior taste.

Take Stacey Solomon who proudly boasts that stalwart of a posh kitchen, the Aga, at her Pickle Cottage home.

However, no matter how much money you’ve spent on the deep-pile neutral carpets or high-end tech and appliances, there’s no denying that money can’t always buy an enviable interior.

Even within the worlds of the super rich, there are rules about what counts as ‘tacky’ and ‘classy’ – and even the wealthiest of A-listers can fall victim to ‘gaudy’ decor. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail, interiors expert Jordana Ashkenazi gave her verdict on the telltale signs that your house signals ‘new money’ which the elite may raise an eyebrow at…

Huge TVs

Michelle Keegan and her husband Mark Wright have become known for their impressively decorated house – and have before featured a festive look into their decorated living room, which featured a huge TV front and centre. 

Hung up in the middle of the sitting area, enclosed by glass cupboards and perched above a fireplace, it’s a statement piece that attempts to straddle the incredibly modern with a charming old-fashioned element of British decor. 

Jordana: A massive TV slapped on the wall is peak nouveau riche. If you’re going big, integrate it into joinery or cabinetry so it disappears when it’s not in use. No one needs a screen on display all day.

All white or beige furniture

Neutral tones seem to be the go-to colour scheme for the rich and famous, layered in tones of white, beige and brown. Famous for her love of such a ‘clean girl’ aesthetic is Molly-Mae Hague. 

But it’s not always creamy hues which inspire affluent celebs – sometimes, a monochrome scheme is all about cool steely greys and blacks.

Charlotte Dawson, for example, decorated her cinema room in matching dark shades, and while uniform, the look risks seeming cold and impersonal. 

Jordana: All-beige interiors photograph beautifully but often feel flat in real life. True luxury has confidence, depth and contrast, not a fear of colour or personality.

Silver carpets and crushed velvet 

They were all the rage in 2020, but despite falling out of favour, crushed velvet and silver carpets are still popular furnishing choices for British A-listers. 

It includes the likes of Lauren Goodger, who has opted for the neutral yet bright furnishing for her floors and presenter Billie Shepherd.

Somehow, combining both the sheer brightness and reflective vigour that comes with the fabric with a cold colour, it can be difficult to naturally fit the furnishing into a cosy living area. 

Jordana: Silver and grey carpets are dated and scream ‘I wanted it to look expensive quickly’. They’re high-impact, low-style and never age well. Crushed velvet is just tacky. Please, someone, make it stop. It never should have existed in the first place, and I still don’t understand how it ever became a thing. 

Marble everywhere

Marble is a go-to material for many who want to furnish a beautiful home – and Molly-Mae Hague is no different, enjoying two kinds of designs on the counter and floor.

However, while it is a safe bet, the material risks looking too much with even just a tiny bit of excess. 

However, it doesn’t stop celebrities from piling on the slabs – including Emma McVey, who has an ornately designed bathroom.

Jordana: Marble is beautiful, but when it’s used excessively, it starts to feel more hotel lobby than home. Quiet luxury is selective. You don’t use marble just to say, ‘look at me, I can afford marble, so I’m putting it everywhere’. One or two standout pieces as a focal point will always look far more expensive.

Loads of tech controlling everything

What is ‘new money’ for if not to be spent on things that make life easier? A-listers all around fork out thousands to fit their property, from top to bottom, in the most high-tech gear.

At times, this can be purely practical – smart bins, smart lights, etc.

Others – such as in the case of Mark Wright, who enjoys a virtual golfing set-up – it’s all about play. 

Jordana: Smart homes are great, but when tech becomes the headline, it stops feeling elegant. Luxury homes should feel intuitive, not like you’re living inside an electronics store.

Mirrored decorative objects

Chloe Sims’s mirror wall is one of the many examples of celebrities’ penchant for reflective surfaces.

While sometimes it’s multiple scattered little mirrors, other times – like in Chloe’s case – it’s a huge accented section.

Jordana: This look is very ‘look at me’ glamour. Lots of mirrored accessories, chrome finishes and shiny objects stacked together tend to feel more nightclub dressing room than timeless home. A single mirrored piece can work beautifully, but when everything is reflective it quickly tips into flashy and a bit try-hard.

An Aga that no one knows how to use

While Stacey Solomon likely does know how to use her Aga, Jordana explained that it’s less about the device itself and more about the aspirational qualities that come with it.

To take it one step further, company Rural Ranges upgraded her to a ‘Go Gold’ package with a glitzy bespoke appliance featuring a glamorous touch.

Jordana: An Aga that’s never switched on is a classic status purchase. It’s less about cooking and more about saying ‘we’ve arrived’, even if no one has a clue how it works.

Bouclé soft furnishings

Lucy Mecklenburgh is among the dozens of celebrities who have become absolutely taken with bouclé.

The material features in many A-listers’ homes, usually in the form of a cosy sofa or a comfortable ‘nook’.

Items of the fabric often come in an ergonomically rounded design, hoping to give a flavour of the 70s – but with how big the trend is, it can be difficult not to simply look like one among a flock of sheep. 

Jordana: Bouclé is fine in moderation, but too much of it feels trend-led and predictable. When it’s everywhere, it starts to look more showroom than sophisticated home.

Statement light fixtures

Chloe Ferry recently showed off her new home – which in particular made a statement with its huge light fixture in the middle of the living room.

And she’s not the only one, with celebrities going to great heights to make sure they strike exactly the right chord for their lighting. 

Charlotte Dawson too seems to be fond of a huge statement chandelier – including one in her closet. 

Jordana: Statement lighting can be fantastic, but if everything is fighting for attention, the room loses its balance. And please, no more fake chandeliers. They don’t say wealth, they say tacky. The most expensive interiors know when to whisper. 

Loads of pillows on the bed

Molly-Mae Hague showed off one of the bedrooms in her sprawling house – which featured a whopping four stacks of pillows just for one side.

Despite the curation and dedication that can go into such a process – from stacking and rearranging varying sizes of cushions – the aesthetic can, at times, evoke a hotel over a home.

Jordana: Luxury doesn’t require a nightly pillow workout. A few beautiful, high-quality cushions look far more elegant, and four to five is absolutely plenty.

Glass table

Millie Mackintosh’s living room featured a coffee table made entirely of glass – which, Jordana explained, lacks warmth. 

It can seem like an intuitive choice for those who have furniture that doesn’t have strong or warm wooden tones.

However, due to its understated nature, it can also disappear in all the light hues consuming it. 

Jordana: Glass tables really depend on the base. A well-designed sculptural leg can work, but cheaper versions instantly look cold and tacky. They rarely feel warm or inviting, which is exactly what a dining space should be.

Geometric glass decor

Gemma Collins is known for her eclectic taste, but among them is a ‘new money’ staple – geometric glass decor. 

To add to the glitz, they are also displayed on a mirror-surface table.

Jordana: Geometric glass accessories can look nice in small doses, but too many feel decorative rather than meaningful. Minimal use is chic. Overuse is very new money.

A huge American fridge

Nothing feels more ‘new money’ than the US – so it’s no wonder that modern Americanised appliances, like Kate Ferdinand’s impressive fridge, strike that chord. 

In videos showcasing it, followers can see not only what she eats in a day but the impressive amount of real estate that the fridge can fit.

And to add to the opulence, organising it in such a way that aesthetically shows off all your trendy Tupperwares is yet another leaf to take out of the aspirational book. 

Jordana: The big American fridge freezer with an ice and water dispenser is very functional, but aesthetically it often screams suburban showroom rather than refined design. Unless it’s fully integrated, it can dominate a kitchen and cheapen the overall look. However, sometimes it’s unavoidable and practicality wins. If you can’t have a filtered tap, a fridge freezer with filtered water is a sensible and genuinely useful solution.

Floral accent wall

A floral accent wall, like one enjoyed by presenter Fearne Cotton, can be difficult to get right – as one risks looking more like a pub that serves cocktails than a home. 

The gentle pink however offers a warm atmosphere to the place – and as long as the nearby accessories are not too hotel lobby-inspired, could potentially work well. 

Jordana: Floral wallpaper really depends on the print. Most florals are outdated and honestly quite ugly, but there are some beautiful modern designs when done properly. The key is restraint, not feature-wall panic.