How Jemma Solomon’s latest attempt to copy her famous sister Stacey’s luxury lifestyle has come crashing down, costing her thousands – and why she’s blaming everyone but herself

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Jemma Solomon often finds life complicated because her younger sister, Stacey, is incredibly successful and receives a lot of attention and lucrative deals. The recent issue with her ‘dream home’ is a perfect example. It’s understandable why she’d want to create a nice home for her family, especially considering how successful her sister’s similar project has been – it’s become a very profitable business.

As many people know from seeing her on social media or television, Stacey, age 36, has earned a lot of money from her house.

Stacey’s unique home, nicknamed ‘Pickle Cottage’ and worth £1.2 million, has been central to her success, helping her build a £10 million lifestyle brand. She’s featured it prominently in her BBC series, ‘Stacey And Joe,’ and even named her DIY book after it, ensuring her home receives as much attention as she does.

Every part of the Tudor-style house in Essex, which sits on 2.5 acres of land, has been showcased to her fans. She’s carefully designed each space, from a unique ‘mermaid bathroom’ with shimmering tiles and shell-shaped sinks, to a fully equipped ‘man cave’ for her husband, Joe Swash.

It’s easy to see why Jemma, 37, wants to put a lot of effort into renovating her bungalow – and maybe even gain some popularity on Instagram while doing it. She purchased the house in 2024 for £860,000 and envisions a major transformation, adding terraces, balconies, and extensions to create a stunning, spacious home.

However, those hopes were quickly dashed. This happened only a few weeks after Jemma sadly announced she was closing her home organizing company, The Label Lady.

Planners have rejected Jemma’s proposal twice, and they’ve been very critical of her large-scale plans.

Okay, so I’ve seen this happen a lot with home renovations. This client came in with big plans – we’re talking adding extensions, converting the garage, totally transforming the loft space and adding a terrace. Unfortunately, the local planners didn’t agree it would work. They felt the changes were just too much for the neighborhood, creating a house that would feel oversized and out of character. They specifically mentioned the roofline looking bulky and the overall design feeling top-heavy – basically, it wouldn’t blend in with the more modest homes around it. It’s a good reminder that sometimes, less is more, and it’s crucial to consider how your renovations impact the surrounding area.

Neighbors expressed concern that the proposed plans weren’t considerate, specifically mentioning a new balcony would reduce their privacy.

In what was likely the harshest criticism, officials implied that Jemma hadn’t been honest about how large her project actually was.

They actually called the application deceptive, pointing out that Jemma’s project was much more extensive than just converting the loft.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen many people inspired by others, and Jemma is a perfect example. She wasn’t discouraged after her first attempt, and actually, she seemed even more determined! Her social media has become a lot like Stacey’s, sharing glimpses into her family life with her husband, Lee, and their three kids – Darcy, Mila, and Hudson. When she applied again, she didn’t hold back – she proposed an even bigger redesign of her home, showing just how ambitious she is!

The proposal was denied again. This time, officials explained that the new building would overwhelm the street, being too large and not fitting in with the smaller, older home the owner originally purchased.

The message was clear: the planned building wasn’t just overly ambitious, it would clash dramatically with the area’s quiet, low-profile character.

People online were quick to criticize, with many expressing outrage over what they saw as the owner’s selfish behavior. One commenter perfectly captured the sentiment, stating she seemed to believe she could do as she pleased with the property, disregarding the environmental consequences and the fact that her neighbors had lived there much longer.

She desperately wants to be as good as Stacey, but it’s unlikely she ever will. That’s harsh!

Despite the criticism, Jemma, a mother of three, continues to present herself as the one who’s been treated unfairly. She shared her frustration on Instagram, calling the situation ‘disheartening’ and saying her aspirations were threatened by others’ judgments.

She explained that it’s difficult to resolve issues when decisions are based on personal opinions rather than facts. She also expressed feeling powerless, stating that even though it’s her home, she doesn’t have a voice in the matter.

Jemma mentioned she planned to reapply, even though she’d already spent a lot of money – ‘thousands of pounds‘ – and admitted she didn’t think her chances were good.

She admitted she tries not to worry too much about the situation, because it’s overwhelming. However, she added that it’s deeply upsetting to realize you don’t truly own even your own home.

Anyone who’s followed Stacey and Jemma Solomon for a while might find the current situation a bit ironic. Stacey’s home makeovers are always praised, but Jemma’s have faced criticism instead.

This isn’t the first time Jemma and her partner have completely renovated a home. At their previous house in Kelvedon Hatch, Essex – a four-bedroom detached property – they added a two-story extension, converted the garage, and even created a decorative water feature in the garden that Jemma playfully called a ‘moat’.

The property was sold for £690,000, which was £35,000 below its original asking price.

Last November, a former neighbor at Kelvedon Hatch hinted that they knew a lot about what life was like at the Solomons’ home, but were afraid to speak openly about it. The extensive work done there was quite ambitious and likely bothered the neighbors on their normally peaceful street.

Honestly, I’m dying to know what Jemma’s planning with her place! Right now, everyone’s obsessed with Stacey’s Pickle Cottage – it’s basically become a showroom for their £10 million empire. But Jemma’s dream home? It’s just…plans. Literally stuck in the planning department’s rejected pile, poor thing! I keep checking for updates, but nothing yet. It’s so frustrating, I just want to see her vision come to life!

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2026-04-11 19:21