“It had everything I wanted,” João begins. “[A] change of layout (I had been living in 18/19th century homes since childhood), proper soundproofing, working plumbing, double glazing, and, above all, a very clever interior renovation done by an architect who wasn’t afraid of a curved wall.” João says this place had lots of architectural character “but with modern convenience.”

Before moving in, João described the apartment as being “clean cut” and having “architectural lines, smooth surfaces,” and a “sexy bathroom.” When asked to describe the space now, a year after renting it, he says it’s definitely eclectic with a bit of an “organized chaos” to it. Maybe a little bit of “groovy,” too!

João says he didn’t do any major renovations to the space, but he did paint the walls and put “a million holes in the wall to hang an ever-expanding art collection.” When it came to the biggest challenge of the home, it was honestly just trying to fit everything into the space.

“With Lisbon rental markets being what they are, every few years my apartments halve in size. I’ve had to let go of a lot, and put the rest into storage … and the walls just keep filling up. However, I feel every iteration of my home becomes more and more … me! There are over 500 plates in this house … hiding about here and there!”

And while there are a number of interesting elements found from places like thrift stores, he’s also added his own personality in the space with furniture, too. “I designed the coffee table, bookshelves, and am working on a desk and dining table, all out of different materials. I would love to expand into furniture design so I use my house as a petri dish, of sorts.”

• Shelves — Designed by me 
• Stools — Adrianna Shamaris

• Armchair — Tom Dixon “Fat”
• Vitra “M” side table — Finnish Design Shop
• Side table — Kartell
• Rugs — Collected during travels

• Victorian circular clawfoot table — Bought in London flea market
• Folding Chairs — Giancarlo Piretti “Plia” (came from grandmother’s kitchen!!)

• Murano chandelier
• Louis XVI bed
• XVIII century Chinoiserie chest of drawers
• Anglo-Indian travel desk
• Art Deco chair
• Acrylic side table — Flea market in London

• Desk — Iconic Club LUX in Lisbon

Thanks, João!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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