Stephen Collins is a hotelier, designer, art historian and television host with a wealth of knowledge in architecture, the arts, design, people and travel gleaned from 17 years spent abroad and working in different fields, running his own businesses and immersing himself in different cultures. He genuinely is a graduate from the "University of Life." At the age of 13, Collins developed a very early interest in the arts in general and began collecting furniture, silver and glass which started a lifelong passion. He began his studies in history of art and developed a great love of, and preference for, the English vernacular styles in architecture and went on to study History of Art, Design and Film at Staffordshire Polytechnic.
In his 17 years abroad -- two years in the United States, one year in Italy, four years in Morocco, a further nine in France and a year in Mexico -- Collins was exposed to extraordinary places and people, most of whom were in some way arbiters of style, fashion and architecture. Then in 1996, Collins opened an interior design business which he ran for three years before opening a hotel in Morocco. In 2005, he opened Hum and Purry, a business based around a 10,000 square foot show room selling furniture and objects from around the world. He then worked in hospitality as the development manager at The Ivy and The Club at The Ivy in London. Alongside this, Collins has been involved with the renovation and development of a number of properties both in England and abroad. As a television host in the UK, he has been featured on House Gift and House Guest for ITV.
