Celebrity Mansions Under the Microscope: A Design Expert's Verdict
Celebrities frequently invest vast sums into customising their multi-million pound properties, incorporating everything from extravagant entertainment centres and unique artwork to sustainable architectural features. However, these personalised touches can sometimes provoke significant backlash, as fashion designer Stella McCartney discovered when her plans for a £5 million Highlands home drew ire from local residents and councillors. Environmental concerns were raised, with critics comparing renderings of her modernist, glass-fronted mansion overlooking Loch Ailort to a concrete 'carbuncle'. Many argued the clifftop house, featuring wood panelling and a turfed roof, would disrupt the coastal landscape. Yet, among the pantheon of celebrity mansions, is McCartney's proposed 'forever home' truly the worst offender?
The Daily Mail's Design Assessment
The Daily Mail enlisted interiors expert Jordana Ashkenazi to evaluate and rank some of the UK's most famous celebrity residences, spanning from Wayne and Coleen Rooney's £20 million Cheshire estate to Gemma Collins' £1.3 million Essex hideaway. The overarching conclusion? While wealth can procure life-size elephant statues and endless leopard print furnishings, it unequivocally cannot purchase taste. Ashkenazi's analysis reveals a stark divide between properties that exude sophistication and those that succumb to gaudy, trend-driven design.
Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash: Pickle Cottage's Inconsistent Charm
Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash regularly showcase their £1.3 million Essex mansion, Pickle Cottage, on their BBC reality show and social media platforms. The property has undergone extensive renovations since the couple—who held a wedding ceremony there in 2022 but are not legally married—moved in. Ashkenazi noted that while the exterior possesses a charming, traditional English aesthetic reminiscent of a thatched or Shakespearean home, the interiors are 'quite inconsistent'. She explained, 'Some rooms feel considered, while others tip too far into trend-led design and start to cheapen what is otherwise a very special home.' Specifically, the pink utility room and all-black kitchen 'read more budget than luxurious'. With greater restraint, higher-quality finishes, and a more thoughtful colour palette, Ashkenazi believes the home could have achieved cohesive elegance. Verdict: Tasteful in parts, but many rooms verge on tacky.
Olivia Attwood and Bradley Dack: A Sterile Show Home
Following her separation from footballer Bradley Dack, Olivia Attwood vacated the £1 million Cheshire mansion they shared. Ashkenazi described the property as having 'a new build aesthetic and feels like a show home where everything looks finished but lacks depth and individuality'. The design heavily relies on 'glossy finishes, mirrored surfaces, reflective materials, and display-style shelving', creating a staged rather than lived-in atmosphere. Displaying items like trainers in mirrored wardrobes was deemed confusing from a practical standpoint. Overall, the home appears polished initially but lacks the layered sophistication expected from high-end interiors. Verdict: Tacky.
Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright: Predictable Polished Perfection
Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright purchased their famous home for £1.3 million, renovating it extensively and documenting the process on Instagram. The five-acre property, now valued at £3.5 million, includes customised artwork and a £30,000 garden pergola. However, Ashkenazi found their 'polished home does feel quite predictable', leaning heavily into a show home aesthetic with excessive shine and gloss. The white and beige colour scheme feels 'one-dimensional', crying out for more texture, richer materials, and soft furnishings to elevate the space. Verdict: Tasteful, but very safe and slightly lacking in luxury.
Stella McCartney: Controversial Yet Classy Coastal Design
After a three-year planning battle, Stella McCartney and her husband Alasdhair Willis secured approval for their Highlands 'forever home', though it continues to face local opposition. Designed by Brown and Brown Architects, the property has been criticised for its size and potential wildlife impact. Despite this, Ashkenazi praised it as 'a great example of a more modern architectural approach in the UK', highlighting how the architects maximised the setting with glazing oriented towards the water. The use of timber adds warmth to the minimal design, though the clean, modern aesthetic may appear stark in a coastal context. Overall, it is deemed high-end, thoughtfully designed, and structurally considered. Verdict: Very tasteful.
Paris and Tyson Fury: Fairytale Exterior, Generic Interior
Paris Fury recently revealed the family's new six-bedroom home on the Isle of Man, reportedly costing £8 million. Ashkenazi described the exterior as 'magical, full of charm and character, and sits beautifully within its surroundings', evoking a fairytale countryside aesthetic. However, the interior is a 'letdown', with the kitchen particularly criticised for looking 'like it’s come straight out of a Wickes catalogue'. There is a notable lack of texture, warmth, and considered detail, creating a disconnect between the enchanting exterior and standard interior. Verdict: Externally very tasteful, internally bordering on tacky.
Wayne and Coleen Rooney: Gaudy Grandeur in Cheshire
Wayne and Coleen Rooney's £20 million Cheshire mansion, High Lake Manor, spans 40 acres and includes six bedrooms, a snooker room, home cinema, indoor pool, spa, wine cellar, stables, and a football pitch. Ashkenazi acknowledged the stunning external grandeur but criticised the 'overly gaudy' interiors for lacking connection to the property's architecture. Elements like velvet seating, oversized chandeliers, and high-gloss tiled floors prioritise impact over cohesion, with finishes that appear cheap due to excessive gloss and shine. Verdict: Over the top, gaudy and tacky.
Chloe Ferry: Trend-Driven and Basic
Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry sold her £1.3 million Newcastle home and moved into a new property, sharing renovation updates on TikTok. Ashkenazi pointed out that features like faux marble tiles 'immediately make the space feel quite cheap and very new build'. The design is described as 'very monochromatic, very one note', with little texture, warmth, or personality, resulting in a generic feel that misses opportunities for depth. Verdict: Tacky.
Cate Blanchett: Divisive but Sophisticated Eco-Home
Cate Blanchett's Cornish eco-home, purchased for £1.6 million and now worth nearly triple, caused a stir when redevelopment plans emerged in 2024. Ashkenazi noted that such 'modern and minimal' homes 'will always divide opinion', as it stands out starkly against traditional surroundings. However, the use of natural materials like stone, combined with horizontal lines and expansive glazing, creates a calm, grounded feel. The design is intentionally integrated into the landscape, reflecting a sophisticated, architecturally driven approach reminiscent of Australian coastal properties. Verdict: Tasteful, but not for everyone.
In summary, Ashkenazi's rankings underscore that while celebrities may have the resources to create dream homes, true style requires more than financial investment—it demands thoughtful design, cohesion, and a respect for architectural integrity.
