Work ethic

As presenter of Channel 4’s new property series Room For Improvement, Angus Purden is well equipped to speak about the ordeal of renovating a house. Originally from Glasgow, he now owns a five-storey Georgian townhouse in London’s east end with his partner. Built in 1722 and owned by a Huguenot silk-weaver, it has taken seven years to turn the house from a near-derelict ruin into an immaculate home.

"When we first looked at it, Spitalfields was still an undesirable part of London and people said we’d be mad to buy," says Purden. "It was a gamble, but, at the same time, an absolute bargain."

Although the restoration process would inevitably unearth some history, quite how much lay beneath the surface proved astonishing. "The house had been neglected for decades, so there was a lot of peeling back to be done," he says. "As it was previously a sweatshop, it had strip-lighting and layers of plastic, hardboard and metal sheeting. But behind that, we found original fireplaces and panelling."

Not to mention 19th-century wallpaper and secret cupboards containing babies’ shoes and bottles, Thames oyster shells and clay pipes. Careful to conserve as much of the original structure as possible, the process was unfortunately hindered by dishonest builders. Yet, with the help of skilled craftsmen, the end result manages to be both sympathetic to the past and contemporary in outlook. "It’s Dickensian in feel, and very cosy," admits Purden. "All the floors are sloping, and if you look at the walls you’ll see that the ceilings don’t quite meet. We’re also lucky to be able to have fires burning on every floor."

With features such as these as a backdrop, Purden set about filling the house with contemporary furniture, starting in his budget-conscious days by "skip-diving" and going to antique markets and reclamation yards. More recently, less constrained by finance, he has been able to indulge in art - all from auctions on Glasgow’s Great Western Road - and lighting, which he admits he is fascinated by.

Meanwhile, the drawing/music room, on the first floor, houses a harpsichord, which Purden doesn’t play but reckons looks fantastic. Most of last year was spent laying reclaimed wooden flooring throughout the house, which he sourced from the Conservative Club in Wales. And with another bathroom to do up, the work is an ongoing process.

But the kitchen, which Purden calls "the belly of the building", needs little improvement. Guests are instantly attracted to it, as are the cats, Honky and Rory, and passers-by en route to Spitalfields market, who can’t resist peering into the basement through the lightwell. "Because there are various museums on the street now, people tend to think we’re one too and ring our doorbell," he laughs.

Unlike the rest of the house, the basement floor is made up of Manchester road pavings. The kitchen units, which came from MFI at a bargain 15.99 each, have been combined with cupboard doors salvaged from old tool sheds; their Georgian diamond design maintained by specialist woodworkers. The room’s colours (Bone and Card Room Green shades from Farrow & Ball), which continue through to the dining area, have been carefully chosen to complement the stainless steel of the kitchen appliances, including the gigantic Amana fridge-freezer.

Various interesting one-off pieces complete the look, such as an old butcher’s block, rescued from the street, which serves as an almighty chopping board, as well as an 18th-century knife sharpener.

From a career that has spanned modelling (three years in Milan working for Giorgio Armani) and journalism (a column with SMG newspapers in Glasgow and a stint on the GMTV and ITV news desks), it seems Purden has come full circle with his real passion: property.

His first flat - a loft in Glasgow’s Co-op building - was invaluable in establishing what he did and didn’t like. "I used the flat, which was an empty shell, to go for a very contemporary, simple look, and filled it with retro pieces. But eventually I found the whitewashed interiors to be a bit draining," he remembers.

Having sold the place for a 25 per cent profit, he moved to London and found plenty more in the way of property to spark his interest in architecture and interiors. "Even now, I find I have to stop in the street to stare at a building."

And it seems the gamble in turning a former sweatshop into a five-storey townhouse has paid off. The local area - once infamous for prostitutes, strippers and street brawls - has since become one of the city’s most fashionable districts. "The east end used to be called ‘London’s toilet’, and though it has got a completely different outlook now, it can still be pretty hectic," he says.

"But this house is a real sanctuary: very earthy, organic and therapeutic. It’s like stepping into a different world."

Room For Improvement is on Channel 4 every weekday at 4:30pm.