Before & After: Three Sisters Give an Abandoned Portuguese Farmhouse a Vibrant Revival
"The house is kind of crooked, with rough floors, and no fancy finishes—but it has lots of personality," says architect Francisco Mesquita Moura.
"The house is kind of crooked, with rough floors, and no fancy finishes—but it has lots of personality," says architect Francisco Mesquita Moura.
"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
Before: The farmhouse had been abandoned for an unknown period of time before the Teixeira da Mota sisters came across it.
Photo by Luppa Architects
After: Entry
"What attracted me most was the beauty of the landscape and the tranquility," says homeowner Teresa Teixeira da Mota. "I saw a lot of potential there."
Photo by Ivo Tavares Studio
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
Before: Prior to the restoration, there was no interior connection between the two floors of the main unit—only this exterior staircase on the side of the house.
Photo by Luppa Architects
See the full story on Dwell.com: Before & After: Three Sisters Give an Abandoned Portuguese Farmhouse a Vibrant Revival
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