Interiors: Park Circus, Glasgow

Mention Park Circus and development springs to mind as readily as world-renowned architecture. The grand townhouses of Victorian Glasgow's most prestigious address were largely occupied by hostels and offices from the 1950s, when fewer city residents had the means to live here.

Where original features survived, they co-existed with cabling and fire exit signs in the workplaces of lawyers and surveyors. But as the 21st century dawned and pressure built in the housing market, developers moved in and a renaissance began.

In 2003 the Grade A-listed townhouse in which Jack Lawson now lives was home to an architectural practice, which looked likely to accept an offer that would see the building split into four apartments. But when the council decreed it remain as a single unit, the architects looked to a different kind of buyer.

Seven years of hard graft later, Jack, wife Annabel and eight-year-old Anne live in a remarkable home, the only surviving complete townhouse on the terrace. Planners were supportive of their restoration plans, the first stage of which involved filling skips with old cabling. The townhouse hadn't been maintained since the 1960s, with the interior boasting "varying shades of grey", and as office fixtures were removed, a grim picture emerged.

"Walls were bowing, floors sagging and water had seeped through the roof," says Jack.

"I was either strong-willed or foolish," he says, "but I learned that with the right tradesmen, few problems can't be fixed."

Among skilled craftsmen on whom he heaps praise is Hugh Bissell, the joiner who co-project-managed the job alongside Jack, and a team of Iranian contractors that covered all other trades.

Working with architect David Manson (based in the Park district) Jack researched the history of the townhouse, built in 1857. As records of the area (at Glasgow's Mitchell Library) begin in 1875, comparing the building to its neighbours was a key means of identifying original features. Jack reckoned some internal walls, including one dividing the first floor drawing room, were later additions, and non-load bearing.

"We restored rather than altered the floor-plan," says Jack, who had newer walls removed. He was certain there would have been a fireplace in the grand, columned entrance hall and with the skirting boards removed, this was revealed to be true, as the hearth was found behind plaster.

"We reinstated a fire surround from another room," he says.

The building was re-plumbed, re-wired, and new heating was installed with three boilers set on zones so the (south-facing) house is not ultra-expensive to heat. Jack went to some expense to source new, Victorian-style cast iron radiators.

"We avoided less reliable salvaged ones," he says.

Sash windows have been repaired or replaced, with those on the lower levels fitted with plate glass. Almost all the walls and ceilings were re-plastered and most floors replaced with solid oak. Visitors often think the 'Masonic' floor in the entrance hall is original but Jack had these tiles imported from Italy. Sourcing such context-appropriate materials was, he says, financially crippling.

"You don't buy a house like this and fit laminate," he says, commenting that the timber floor for the vast drawing room (spanning the building's width) cost several thousand pounds.

The leaky roof required extensive repairs, but fortunately water had only penetrated the third and second floors so decorative plasterwork (largely confined to ground and first floor rooms) was intact. The elegant staircase with its timber and wrought iron balustrade was also well preserved, simply covered in carpeting for protection during the renovations.

The couple thought long and hard about an appropriate kitchen style, and were ultimately inspired by a trip to Languedoc in France.

"We were entertained in a fantastic home beside a mountain where the huge kitchen/living area epitomised wholesome living," says Jack.

Designed and fitted by Claremont, the couple's kitchen is a blend of exposed and painted wood with marble worktops. The central island with built-in butcher's block has been christened "Jack's Island" as he's often found there, while a distressed timber dresser is another piece often incorrectly assumed to be original.

The kitchen leads to utility and cloakroom space, while the ground floor is also home to a huge sitting room with pillars, corbels and plasterwork that embodies the magnificence of the property's period, although a discreet home cinema brings it into the 21st century.

On the first floor is the dining room, study and drawing room, while the second level has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. There is a further bedroom on the third floor which also has a shower room, kitchen and sitting room, and offers the perfect self-contained space for a teenager or nanny.

All the bathrooms were re-fitted, though most recently the en suite of the south facing second floor bedroom was reworked. Boasting a spa bath and oblong ceramic tiles, this sanctuary is Jack's favourite space.

The master bedroom, with a dressing area as well as an en suite, boasts an Art Nouveau-style fireplace and Rennie Mackintosh-style furniture. The couple previously lived in a townhouse conversion with large rooms so their existing furniture fitted in well here.

"We bought quality Mackintosh pieces before the rise of 'Mockintosh,'" Jack says.

The couple favoured paint shades that complement the Victorian era as well as modern-day living, and scoured antique shops for light fittings that balance the scale of rooms, although Jack admits to splashing out on the drawing room's Flemish-style chandelier.

He did not, however, splash out on a state-of-the-art multi-room music system, often installed by developers as a marketing tool. Such systems are the antithesis of Jack's passion for achieving an emotional connection with music, the philosophy behind the specialist hi-fi business, The Music Room, he runs from his basement.

Despite the expense – costs climbed from 300,000 to 550,000 – and "nerve-wracking" nature of the renovation, the family will feel a huge wrench on leaving this house. Developers may have made shorter work of things, but thanks to Jack's vision this unique home can stand the test of time.

Offers over 1,250,000. Contact Savills, tel: [phone], www.savills.co.uk

The Music Room, tel: [phone], www.music-room.com