If there’s one thing today’s celebrities love to flaunt on social media, it’s the interior of their (usually sprawling) homes. 

But when I’m confronted by a snap of a star’s living room or gleaming – and invariably beige – kitchen, the old adage ‘money can’t buy taste’ often springs to my mind.

From actress Michelle Keegan’s wall-mounted and embarrassingly vast television, to former reality star-turned-fashion mogul Molly-Mae Hague’s bland, entirely monotone Cheshire mansion, these celebrities may have millions to spend on renovations, but that doesn’t guarantee a lust-worthy result. 

As an interiors editor, I’m well-versed in the art of a tastefully decorated home, and there are some design choices simply scream ‘new money’ – think soulless marble-clad kitchens and cluttered gallery walls.

This is my definitive list of the decor choices that are making your home look tacky. But fear not, if you’re guilty of committing one of these faux pas, I consulted industry experts on the easy swaps you can make to ensure your home looks chic not cheap...

Mirrored furniture

If you’re after the footballers’ wives aesthetic from the early 2000s, look no further than mirrored furniture – earning you an interior design red card.

Michelle Keegan and her TV presenter husband Mark Wright favour reflective bedroom side tables, while former pop stars Rochelle and Marvin Humes opt for bathroom cabinetry. 

Admittedly, mirrored finishes enjoyed a brief resurgence a couple of years ago, thanks to their ability to bounce light around a room, thus making them feel bigger. Thankfully, they are now firmly back where they belong: in the bargain bin.

TRY: ‘Instead of mirrored surfaces, use richly grained woods, honed stone and softly-reflective finishes like lacquer or burnished metal,’ advises Martin Waller, the founder of luxury homeware brand Andrew Martin. ‘These add depth and warmth without tipping into flashiness.’

Chopped cushions

Along with Molly-Mae and Mrs Hinch, I’m guilty as charged with ‘chopping’ my cushions – when you create a dent in the centre by ‘karate-chopping’ them straight down the middle to create a perfectly-plumped pillow. But they can look over-styled.

TRY: Gently squeezing cushions to create a soft and rounded shape in the middle and opt for different shapes and sizes to avoid them looking too uniform.

Interior stylist and designer Sam Grigg has an even more casual method: ‘I throw cushions down and let them fall naturally. I’m talking about a few well-chosen cushions rather than lots, though – nestled into the corners and allowed to dip slightly off-centre, rather than being karate-chopped bang in the middle.’

Centrepiece TVs

Back in the day, we used to sit facing one another to talk in our living rooms – an evolution of the conversation pit that trended in the 1950s. 

Now, unfortunately, it’s the television that takes centre stage. Sofas are usually parked right against the walls to allow the television to be the focal point of the room, often framed like soulless artwork over the fireplace. 

Michelle Keegan, once again, is guilty as charged.

TRY: Greig Robinson, founder of sofa company Slow, says: ‘Arranging sofas to face each other or positioning armchairs to encourage conversation gives a room a more considered, welcoming feel. 

‘A great trick is incorporating versatile seating, such as a lightweight ottoman, that can be easily moved to face the television when needed.’

‘Drenched’ everything

‘Drenching’, to the uninitiated, refers to covering a room in a single colour, pattern or texture. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian are partial to drenching in ultra neutral palettes – think creamy beige, grey or ecru. 

The desired effect is to create a crisp, clean aesthetic, but the reality is a soulless, verging on clinical space.

TRY: ‘Colour-drenching works best as a backdrop, not the whole story,’ says Sam Grigg. ‘Neutrals need contrast and texture, while stronger colours benefit from variation in tone, finish and a touch of pattern so spaces feel layered and lived-in – not perfectly matched.’

Signs – of any kind

Confession time: I own a ‘Let’s Get Drunk And Gossip About People’ sign. It hangs in my downstairs toilet, but, in my defence, it was a gift, so I feel too guilty to throw it away.

But these slogan signs, usually spelling out a twee affirmation like ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ or ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’, are best avoided.

Celebrities are partial to a sign spelled out in neon lettering – see Scarlett Moffatt’s ‘Be A Flamingo In A Flock Of Pigeons’ – but that doesn’t make it trendier.

TRY: There is no alternative – just stop.