Purnell designed his own one-storey house at 492 Punt Road, South Yarra. He named it ‘Shan Teng’. It still exists and is currently in excellent condition. It has a dramatic Chinese temple roof with sweeping chimney tops to match, causing some people in the past to believe that it was the Chinese Embassy. This house was Purnell’s last Chinese-style building. According to Purnell's daughter Joan Dickson, when the Purnells lived there they had Chinese servants.