Scrolling through renovation accounts on Instagram and TikTok has become my go-to when I have free time these days. Often it can feel like everyone’s home is quite… samey: the same colour scheme, the same furniture. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to see something a bit more feisty and ballsy, something that showcases the homeowner’s personality through colour and style. 

Well, my search was over when I happened upon Sheri Scott’s transformation of a (fairly ordinary) flat into the most wonderful, colourful and animated nest: Forever Yours Betty on Instagram. Sheri had a vivid vision of how her first home would pan out. Referring to the film A Beautiful Mind, when she first viewed her now home of three years, she could see all the colours, textures and vibrations coming together. She lives with her two adorable dogs in a well-curated two-bed flat in Glasgow that includes a yellow ceiling by Lick paint with contrasting royal blue flooring, a Rugrats-inspired hallway and a 1980s vintage lamp.

I was burning to know why she opted for colour and how her followers and loved ones reacted to it. She tells me that she had one follower say something so significant: “This will be a spiritually healing place for you,” and she holds on to this dearly and believes it’s something that has manifested in real life. 

She has, however, also received comments disapproving of her rainbow-like residence. “What about the people who move in after you as the colours are too bold,” one said, but Sheri has no intention of selling her perfect home.

Sheri, mostly known as Betty online, has built up a 96,000-person following after over 10 years of posting her fantastic vintage and thrifted finds. She brought that mindset to her home, saving her a fortune when it came to furniture. Within the first three pictures, you can tell what her favourite colour is: orange. So it was no surprise that she painted her entire Ikea wardrobe Pax orange or “Nickelodeon orange” as Sheri puts it. It’s genuinely the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. 

If, like me, you’re a bit scared to introduce primary colours into your home because beige is what you’ve grown up with, Sheri has some practical advice: “It’s not permanent; you can change it if you don’t like it.” Stylist spoke with the content creator as she tells us how there is more to the surface of her dynamic dwelling and how her home plays a crucial part in her everyday life and health. 

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST DÉCOR INSPIRATION WHEN STARTING YOUR RENOVATION?

“While I was viewing properties, I was keen on a blank slate. I didn’t really want to buy somewhere newly renovated as I would be doing it up anyways, and I’m quite big on not adding to waste. I just don’t like it when people flip properties and just make it all grey.

“When I first saw my home it was completely liveable, but also a blank slate; it was quite dated and it was all beige. I really needed to have my living room painted before I moved in and I went for this particular dark green colour. The inspiration came from the Caledonian buses in Glasgow, which were a thing in the 60s.”

WHICH DIY HACK ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

“My yellow mirror. It lives in my orange dressing room, where I often take content. It cost me £80 to make. It’s inspired by the Piotrowski mirror, which is big on Instagram, but they go for over £1,500.”

“It’s an interesting story how it all came about. I got the mirror from a Facebook swapping page. It’s just an Ikea mirror, but I swapped it for something that I already had – I think I swapped it for wine. Then when it came to the squiggly border, I went to Flux Laser & CNC Studio in Glasgow. It was pretty simple: I gave them the measurements and they cut it out of MDF and I just stuck it on. It took about half an hour.

“I also kept the inside bit of the MDF cut-out, which I will be making use of soon. I am thinking of making a peg board organiser with a mirror and shelf on it.”

WHICH ROOM IS YOUR FAVOURITE AND WHY?

“I can’t do that! I love them all because they are all so different. There are different energies in them all. For example, the kitchen is where I’ve done most of my growth.

“I feel like the kitchen has made the biggest difference to my life because it’s made me want to be in here; it’s made me want to try and cook. I’ve arranged all the cupboards specifically to help out with my neurodivergence and ADHD. For example, this cupboard has all the breakfast food, and this one has quick snacks and meals that I can make in under 10 minutes. And what’s so cool as well is that the inside of the cupboards have a whiteboard, so it’s really really handy for me.”

“Sometimes I have people cook for me, and I like being the backseat driver so I can play on the Pac-Man gaming cabinet that lives in the kitchen too.

“My kitchen definitely has an 80s retro McDonald’s diner feel with the colours and all the geometric shapes, and that’s exactly what I wanted.”

“With the dressing room, you know how people who love leopard print say it represents neutral for them. Well, that’s how I feel about the colour orange. That’s why I wanted it to be all over my dressing room. I walk in here and I feel so happy because that’s my joy colour; it’s a safety blanket and it makes me feel warm and cosy.”

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST RENOVATION CHALLENGE?

“It has to be decision-making, so I loved it when it came to the kitchen and the decision was out of my hands due to how expensive everything was.

“The units I originally wanted were cheaper pre-Brexit – there are all these issues with all the taxes and all that extra weight and time, etc.” 

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU’D KNOWN BEFORE STARTING YOUR RENOVATION?

“How expensive everything is and that there are always hidden costs. With the kitchen, for example, I had a budget and no matter how hard I tried, things kept adding up. So it’s made me petrified of renovating my bathroom. I’ve delayed that project because of the cost of living, which has made me fearful.

“At the moment, I’m thinking of strategic ways to make it affordable. It’s going to be tricky because not only is the bathroom outdated, it’s not practical. There are leaks, but I have some ideas to solve it.”

FAVOURITE HOME INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS

Danidazey

Aww.sam

70shousemanchester

“With these home accounts, I particularly love the use of colour, the patterns and the boldness.”

Photography: courtesy of Sheri Scott