Historic house in Portugal has travel memories and lots of color | Houses
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1 of 8 In the main living room, the Arne sofa, by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, appears next to the Feltri armchair by Gaetano Pesce – in the background, the photograph that records the library of the Admont monastery, in Austria, is by the author by German photographer Rafael Neff, at the Lumas gallery — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraIn the main living room, the Arne sofa, by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, appears next to the Feltri armchair by Gaetano Pesce – in the background, the photograph that records the library of the Admont monastery, in Austria, is by the German photographer Rafael Neff, at the Lumas gallery — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
A life lived in several countries, from Austria to Brazil, culminated in the composition of this house, in Tavira, Portugal. “The decoration was made of pieces gathered throughout my history, like a ‘best of‘”, says Tony Smith, resident and responsible for renovating the 590 m² property. Classic design pieces – Italian, Portuguese and Brazilian – mix with eclectic objects and works of art in the building built in 1909.
2 of 8 In the TV room, behind the Chesterfield sofa, is the Mart armchair, by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraIn the TV room, behind the Chesterfield sofa, is the Mart armchair, by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
The building has a style known in Portugal as “mansion house”, with a ceiling height of almost 4 meters in the rooms on the upper floor. Along with these dimensions, the ceilings, doors and wooden floor are elements that are visually impressive, believes Tony. “We were lucky that they were in excellent condition, although the doors and ceilings were covered in countless layers of brown varnish, applied over the years. It was very difficult to remove and repaint everything white, but it was worth it.”
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3 of 8 Travel relics and the resident’s extensive literary collection are displayed in the library — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraTravel relics and the resident’s extensive literary collection are displayed in the library — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
4 of 8 The living spaces are maximalist, with a profusion of colors and signed pieces — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraThe living spaces are maximalist, with a profusion of colors and signed pieces — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
The generous proportions and the light of the Algarve – the region where the house is located – inspired the use of the same color palette in all environments: magnolia on the walls and pure white in the wood, except in the dining room. “This room is perfectly square, almost cubic, and called for a stronger color, a burnt orange, a large round white table and an antique, heavy crystal chandelier”, describes Tony.
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5 of 8 The dining room is lit by a chandelier won at an auction in Lisbon — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraThe dining room is lit by a chandelier won at an auction in Lisbon — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
6 of 8 The green kitchen was designed by Ver Sacrum and executed by Before&After, from Portugal — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraThe green kitchen was designed by Ver Sacrum and executed by Before&After, from Portugal — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
“We needed, on the first floor, a house big enough to receive children and friends, while below two loft-style spaces were created to welcome tourists who visit Tavira throughout the year”, explains Tony.
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7 of 8 Large and bright, the master suite has a bed by Pascal Mourgue for Ligne Roset, armchairs by Lou Reed and Richard III, both by Philippe Starck – the first for Driade and the second for Baleri Italia (and designed as a gift for the ex -French President François Mitterrand and the Elysee Palace). The dressers are from India and the bench is made of Brazilian wood, while the closet is designed by Ver Sacrum, custom-made by Before&After — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraLarge and bright, the master suite has a bed by Pascal Mourgue for Ligne Roset, armchairs by Lou Reed and Richard III, both by Philippe Starck – the first for Driade and the second for Baleri Italia (and designed as a gift for the former French president François Mitterrand and the Elysee Palace). The dressers are from India and the bench is made of Brazilian wood, while the closet is designed by Ver Sacrum, custom-made by Before&After — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
“There was a lot of care taken with both facades”, reveals Tony. The house faces two parallel streets that are completely different in terms of appearance. One of them is made with tiles from the Antiga Fábrica de Sacavém, a historic company in the sector in Portugal that no longer exists. Therefore, it was difficult to find the 100 tiles needed to replace the pieces that had fallen over the years. “After much searching, we had copies made by hand by a craftsman near Lisbon”, says the resident.
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8 of 8 One of the two facades restored after the renovation of the century-old Portuguese house — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS TaviraOne of the two facades restored after the renovation of the century-old Portuguese house — Photo: Bruno Palma/DS Tavira
Another concern was sustainability: the house is powered by clean energy, with seven solar panels and three batteries that cover all energy needs for a large part of the year. During the work, Tony also discovered that the house had two fresh water wells. “We haven’t analyzed the water yet, but we have already used it to water the plants and for cleaning”, says the resident, who has just started a new story in the scenario created in first person.
