Portugal is undoubtedly a "tile"-lover's paradise, given the ubiquitous presence of the beloved 'azulejos' that adorn nearly every other building facade. As we near the finishing stages of the villa's interior design, Portuguese tiles are the star of the show...
Image: Portuguese tiles from Cinca color the future Guest Bath
01 August 2022
By the time of my late-July visit, most of the major systems had been nearly completed: we had electricity boxes and wiring throughout the house; plumbing and water lines; internet conduit; air conditioning/heating systems. As a result, the walls and floors could be filled with plaster, ceilings hung where needed, and the finish-work began, first with the illustrious tiles for which I had been eager to see in full display.
I must admit, after having walked down every urban and village street in Portugal, I had a slew of tiles I wanted to procure for the house. And why wouldn't a villa in Portugal have these signature elements on full display?
But, our architect soon brought to my attention that all of these wonderful tiles were made in factories that closed down 50 years ago!! We couldn't find any of them for the house.
Luckily, we discovered both Cinca Ceramics and Primus Vitoria, two Portuguese tile-makers, have recently resurrected modernized vintage styles from which we could choose. So, naturally, every tile we selected for the house came from these local manufacturers.
The Guest Bathroom
MC Escher-inspired, black and white floor tiles called "Porto", with traditional, chamfer-edged tiles in Tiffany Blue. Both are from Cinca, with grout in Indigo Blue.
The Primary Bathroom
Primus Vitoria's "1959" collection for the shower compliments a deep green tile for the vanity areas from Cinca. The use of a unique "ginger" colored grout pulls the two together.
The Kitchen
With the walls ready for plaster application, Cinca's "Heritage Coimbra" collection gives a distinct pop to the kitchen flooring.
The Upper Suite's Verandah
In an unexpected moment, the distinct "Heritage Lisboa" tile from Cinca on the third floor Verandah adds to the breathtaking view of the Minho River and Spain.
Beyond the tiles,
other elements were in progress, including plaster-work, the first bits of finalized carpentry, and a few shopping conquests.
Images: the central air system at the Foyer gets enclosed with plaster.
Images: Custom gates are finished with a matte black, and feature an angled design that speaks to the shutters on the villa.
Below: Two Roman-like sculptures, favorite shopping items of this trip. I think they'll fit nicely in the garden.
Below: sunlight splashes the villa and bougainvillea vines on a hot July afternoon.
It wasn't just all work, however. I found some moments to explore more of the Norte region in full Summer swing, including my first visit to Viana do Castelo's Santuario de Santa Luiza; Caminha village's lively Medieval Festival; and one of the Praias Fluvial or Azenhas ("river beaches") in Vilar de Mouros:
It would be remiss to not mention the wildfires ravaging Portugal in July. In fact, one burnt an entire mountainside just 2km from the villa, in Vilar de Mouros. Luckily, most houses were spared:
To end on a more peaceful note, this was the afternoon I spent on the beach of Moledo--as crowded as it was--on a toasty July day.
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