“When I first saw the abandoned farmhouse, I struggled to imagine how we could make anything of it while maintaining the original structure,” admits architect Francisco Mesquita Moura. But the property’s new owners, sisters Paula, Teresa, and Luísa Teixeira da Mota, saw something different in the derelict home in Alto Minho, Portugal.

“We weren’t looking for a house to buy, but one day we were passing by and saw this one for sale,” recalls Teresa. “We visited, and we were immediately taken with it.”

Before: Entry

Teixeira da Mota sisters came across it." layout="" credit="Photo by Luppa Architects" photoUserId=""/>

After: Entry

After they purchased the farmhouse, they turned to Moura and his firm, Luppa Architects, to renovate it. “Our goal was to have a house for family use,” explains Paula. “We wanted to make the most of the connection with the outdoors, while also preserving some privacy for us all to enjoy when using it together.”

Before: Rear Facade

After: Rear Facade

The farmhouse consisted of two separate structures: a main building, and an annex that had been used as a storage space. The only way to move between the upper and lower floors of the main house was via an exterior staircase built on one side of the facade—a setup that Moura says was typical for country houses in Alto Minho. “The house was built in such a way that only the upper floor was meant to be inhabited,” he explains.

Before: Kitchen/Dining Room

the original gable roof, but removed the fake wooden ceiling that covered the oakwood beams." layout="" credit="Photo by Luppa Architects" photoUserId=""/>

After: Kitchen/Dining/Living Room

(Bull’s Blood #E444 by CIN) runs throughout the house—from the facade of the annex to the red concrete floors on the ground level and the wooden beams in the gabled roof." layout="" credit="Photo by Ivo Tavares Studio" photoUserId=""/>

Moura updated the upper level of the main building to function as as a spacious, open-plan kitchen, dining, and living room. A new central staircase descends to two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the ground level, and a glass corridor leads to the annex, which holds three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a second kitchen/living/dining area.

Throughout the renovation, the architect explains that he was keen to maintain the three key features that almost all houses in this part of Portugal have in common: granite, white plaster, and blood-red hues.

The common area has a warm, homey feel, due in part to the ceiling’s blood-red hue and exposed beams, but also thanks to the floors, custom kitchen cabinets, and furnishings made primarily from rustic pine. Meanwhile, spruced-up original features, like the gable roof and kitchen window seat (or “romance seat” as Moura calls it) create a link between old and new.

Before: Corridor/Annex

After: Corridor/Annex

Moura refers to the corridor between the two units as a type of “hinge” that can either divide or connect the two houses. The space is lined with skylights, tall windows, and a glass door that opens to the patio outside.

The annex has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living/dining area with a small kitchen.
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For Moura, the most rewarding aspect of the project was the freedom to use a playful color palette. “Most clients want everything painted white, but this was much more fun,” he says, acknowledging that Paula’s profession as a painter was probably the root of this artistic license.

“The owners are genuinely passionate about decorating every corner of their home and they’re always brainstorming new ideas,” explains Moura. “This reinvention keeps the house in a state of perpetual transformation.”

Before: Annex Bedroom

After: Annex Bedrooms

Yellow paint brightens up the wood-paneled walls of the bedrooms and details like the headboards and wardrobes." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Ivo Tavares Studio" photoUserId=""/>

Apart from its bold color scheme, the property is also notable for its ample outdoor space. While the two buildings span a total of 2,368 square feet, they stand on almost half an acre of land.

“It’s a house designed for spending time outside,” Moura says, referencing the gardens, the large terrace that connects the upper floor to the garden, and the newly built swimming pool.

“When we started digging the hole for the pool, we immediately hit rock,” the architect recalls. “That’s why the pool is like an elevated granite tank. It looks like it was intended to be that way, but it’s something good that happened for a bad reason.”

Before: Back Garden

After: Back Garden/Swimming Pool

It’s one of many quirks and imperfections that ended up making the house special in its own way. “We embraced the idea of building a country house with no intention of trying to make it perfect,” Moura says. “The house is kind of crooked, with rough floors, and no fancy finishes—but it has lots of personality.”

More Before & After stories:

In Menorca, a Family’s Crumbling Farmhouse Is Revived With Local Materials

A Family of Architects Turn a “Cave” Into a Light-Filled Apartment

In Porto, a Tiny Home Emerges From Ruins

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Luppa Architects / @luppa_architects