Friday, July 27, 2012

CHEMIST'S GLASS BOTTLES




















Laboratório Chimico, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa

UP AND DOWN


































This Up and Down signals (on the other side of the stairs) are hand painted tiles from the Aveiro ceramic factory "Fábrica da Fonte Nova" (1882 - 1937). The white tiles are most probably from the same factory.

Mercado do Bolhão, Porto

Thursday, July 26, 2012

ENCAUSTIC TILES


Private House, Rua de Santa Catarina, Porto

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

STONE COFFERS

The vaults and crossing of S. Vicente de Fora, one of the most exquisitely designed churches in Lisbon. Late 16th-early 17th century, the original architect was Filipe Terzio. A sort of High Renaissance from an estranged Italian, every piece relates to the whole and the detailing is superb, sharp and highly inventive.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

BALCONY CORNER


The multiplication of different materials harmoniously blended at this corner in Régua is staggering. Plaster walls, stone balcony-cornices, painted corrugated sheet metal siding, clay tiles, wood trim and wrought iron railings.

HANDRAIL


Palácio dos Bicainhos (17th century), Braga.

Monday, July 23, 2012

DOOR KNOCKER


































Private House, Rua de Santa Catarina, Porto

Friday, July 20, 2012

FLUE




Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga.
This "flue"  is nothing less than the whole meat smoking room. Sausages and other meats would be placed at the hooks shown on the top photo, and be smoked from a firepit below. The small holes in the wall, and the roof itself, would let the smoke out. The wonderful iron structure lifts the tiles so there is an air gap at the junction with the walls. Needless to say, the kitchen has been cleaned and no curing has been done in a while!

PAINTED WOOD CEILING


Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga

OPTICAL ILLUSION

























Private house, Braga. Are they cupping in or sticking out? Difficult to tell, although the first seems highly improbable. In any case the tactile nature of this wall is without question, and the colors are beautiful.

ROOM SIZE LANTERN

Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga. Walls clad in painted tin, wooden windows.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

CASA HORTÍCOLA























Casa Hortícola, Mercado do Bolhão, Porto.
A lot has already been said about this in The World of Interiors, but unfortunately it's not availabe online. The seed store is a gem on one of the corners of the Bolhão market in Porto. The market is visited by hundreds of tourists every day, but in spite of this its conditions border the insalubrious, with pigeons walking inbetween the flowers and pieces of stucco falling from the ceiling. The produce is without compare in the city though, and we can only hope this store remains open for long.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

GARDEN CLOCK



 The ticket booth for the lake boats at the grounds of Bom Jesus, Braga.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

STONE STEPS DETAILS



Palácio dos Bicainhos (17th century), Braga. The gardens, with cantilevered stone steps accessing the top of the property wall.

ONION DOMED GARDEN FOLLY



Palácio dos Bicainhos (17th-18th century), Braga, the gardens.

WALL




A "tabique" wall in Mizarela, near Guarda. Horizontal boards, vertical boards, and wood lath before the final lime plaster layer.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

DOORBELL




Private House, Rua do Rosário, Porto.

Friday, July 13, 2012

THE EYES





















Palácio do Raio, Braga

SKYLIGHT































Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga

DOOR DETAIL


Palácio dos Bicainhos (17th century), Braga. Riveted metal door.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

DOOR JAMB DETAIL



Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga

INTERIOR WOOD DOOR



Private House, Rua do Rosário, Porto. Faux-painted and decorated door.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

WOBBLY BAROQUE DOOR


































Paço Episocopal Bracarense (18th century), Braga. More psychedelia, this time in the form of door panels.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

HORSE STALLS



Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga

Monday, July 9, 2012

PALÁCIO DOS BISCAINHOS







Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga (17th century).
This house is now a museum. It has been developed over the centuries, growing from northern Portuguese Baroque to more elegant "French" quarters, together with insect-painted walls.
The entry hall is almost medieval in its heavy and dark character, and sports four small statues that greet newcomers. Notice how the brackets which hold them actually develop from the pilasters between the arches, confusing their architectural roles. The floor is a tactile joy to walk on, like a field of petrified cushions. The gardens are wonderful, and will be featured later on.

WOOD STAIRS


Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga

Sunday, July 8, 2012

STRANGE PAINTED TEXTURE



Palácio dos Biscainhos, Braga. 18th c. psychedelia.

Friday, July 6, 2012

ESTAÇÃO DE SERVIÇO PASSOS MANUEL


































Garagem Passos Manuel, Porto  (1937 - Architect Mário Abreu)

There is no single corner of this parking garage building which is not designed. With steel windows, tiled columns, its interior plaster texture, the neon lighted map of Portugal, the light fixtures, the terrazzo stairs... this building is so much more that just a functional parking place. And if in the ground floor the beautiful store front remains empty, the top floor loft is occupied by one of the best known bars in the nightlife of Porto - Maus Hábitos - offering a nice place for a drink with a great view over town.

MANJERICOS































Two weeks ago it was "São João", the biggest party in Porto. The traditional Manjericos (bush basil) are grown at this time and displayed at people's houses and balconies. Each has a little paper flag with a cheeky verse.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

INTERIOR DOOR


Private House, Rua do Rosário, Porto

DECO DOOR HANDLE 2

And another door handle in Serralves. This time between outside and the dining room, where the table was indeed designed by Ruhlmann for the Count of Vizela.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

DECO DOOR HANDLE

Serralves, a door handle over a mirrored door inside a dressing room. Did we mention Ruhlmann worked here? So did Marques da Silva, whose time is coming for a post or two.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

OLIVE OIL GAUGE

 
Olive Oil Gauge manufactured by António Nunes, Lisboa

ANALOG SCALE


Analog Scale, manufactured by Avery Portuguesa Limitada, Lisbon

Monday, July 2, 2012

MARCOLINO WALL WATCH


































Garagem Passos Manuel, Porto  (1937 - Architect Mário Abreu).