Herne Hill

First Broadcast 4th October 2017 9pm Channel 4

For most of us, rust and ruin are not interior design choices, but Beth and Andrew can’t resist a bit of decay. As designers, they are passionate about preserving the marks of time. So they’ve rescued a crumbling old Victorian dairy in South East London and plan to convert it into a family home for themselves and their young son, whilst retaining as much of the ramshackle roof and crumbling brickwork as they can. All in just 6 months and on a tight budget of just £260k.

As they begin carefully stripping back the old dairy, the poor condition of the existing building becomes plain. It’s full of rusting metal and rotting wood and getting it past modern building regulations will be a real headache. Beth and Andrew have to make some painful decisions about just how much decay they can really live with. As time goes on, their vision of a ‘shabby chic’ unpolished finish, including a Parisian style courtyard, is under increasing threat by the pressure to make their new home fit for modern living.