Escape from reality and explore Heather’s four-bedroom pink home in this week’s episode of Scotland’s Home of the Year

In the penultimate episode of Scotland’s Home of the Year 2024, judges Anna Campbell Jones, Banjo Beale and Danny Campbell must visit a pink villa in Fife, followed by a North Berwick new build and finally, a mid-century bungalow in Linlithgow.

Judges start with ‘The Pink House’ in Fife, a playful renovation and home to Heather, Brian and their two daughters, Rosie and Olive.

Heather’s home is laced with pastel hues of pink, yellow, green and blue. Each colour is artfully placed, using contrasting shades to create focal points in each room. In the living room, for example, recessed shelves are painted in green and offset by a yellow mantlepiece.

A few things are guaranteed in this property: where there is block colour, there will also be pattern; where there are modern fixtures, there will also be vintage ornaments; where there are subtle furnishings, there will also be abstract textiles.

The majority of Heather’s furniture is locally sourced and mostly vintage items that she has lovingly restored. She highlights a few favourites: the ’70s coffee table (costing just six pounds) in the living room, a walnut dressing table in the master bedroom and an Ercol Giraffe Shelf, which sits under a gallery wall at the top of the stairs.

Yes, there might be colour and pattern everywhere you look, but the end result is utterly lovely – and a dreamland for Heather’s daughters. “I didn’t go for pink because I loved the Barbie movie or anything,” Heather laughs. “I just like having high-energy colours in my home.”

We were lucky enough to learn more about the property in this in-depth interview with homeowner Heather.

Why enter Scotland’s Home of the Year 2024?

I’ve always been a fan of the show and I love the ethos of it. Our homes are so important for our health and wellbeing and the show really celebrates people’s efforts to make their spaces as comforting and creative as possible – and reflect their personality. It’s ultimately about happiness, I think. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

Was it important to you to make your home both beautiful and fun?

Yes! Instagram is a huge inspiration and I’ve always looked at other people’s creative, exciting spaces and loved them, but never thought that I could do that myself. But seeing inside real people’s houses totally changed my opinion on that – if they can do it, why can’t I?

When I started thinking about how I wanted my place to look, the word ‘comfort’ kept coming to mind. I want people to feel comfortable and bright when they come into my home. I’ve never been one for tidy, immaculate homes! I need energy!

You have so many beautiful vintage pieces – how do you source them?

Etsy is a great start and finding inspiration on Pinterest.

I have also signed up for newsletters and email alerts from vintage furniture sites and keep my eye on the pieces I want, holding out for the best deal. I’d say that you need to build an understanding of the pricing of old furniture when it’s in immaculate condition because then you’ll be able to spot a deal when it comes up. Most of the time, all the wood will need is a proper sand and a varnish job.

There’s also a great vintage store in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, that I recommend!

Colour can be intimidating! How would you recommend people create harmony between contrasting colours in their home?

Repetition is key. I will lace three colours throughout a room as to tie areas together, making sure everything matches something – but not in an obvious way. I don’t mean matching the curtains with the cushions, for example. Just try to find something that contains a corresponding colour, like art, rugs, blankets, mirror frames – things like this. They don’t need to be the same pattern or material, just need to have that colour.

If you’re worried about going overboard, I think getting vintage, older, pre-loved furniture helps ground all the brighter colours a little and adds that maturity so it doesn’t look childish. Punctuating the decor in this way helps create more depth.

There’s a narrative right now that says, ‘Don’t make too many huge changes – it might put off future buyers!’ What would you say to that?

That’s rubbish. I’ve always had quite a lot of compliments on my home! It doesn’t matter if a house is decorated or not, because someone will always come in and decorate over it. They’re going to “freshen it up” anyway, so they may as well be painting over my happy colours!

Can you describe your home in three words?

I can’t do three words, but my pal told me that it has, “nostalgic retro vibes with a pastel twist” and I think that sums it up pretty well!

Looking for more behind-the-scenes at Scotland’s Home of the Year 2024? Take a look at our interview with John and Dan, who own Kirtle Water Grange near Lockerbie.

Scotland’s Home of the Year 2024: John & Dan’s Kirtle Water Grange haven