He first arrived in Portugal in 1988 and since then, Anthony Smith’s route has led him to reside in countries such as Austria, Germany, Brazil and Balkans. At 62 years old and born in England, he decided to settle in the Douro, where he is a wine producer in Quinta do Covelo. After 12 years in the north of the country, in 2022 he chose to move south, choosing Tavira as a new destination, renewing a manor house.
According to NIT, the Algarvian city was already part of Anthony’s vacation routines and stood out for maintaining a traditional identity, far from mass tourism.
The desire to welcome family and friends led him to look for a larger house, eventually finding a 1909 manorial property in the historic center of Tavira.
Renew without erasing the story
The house had been closed for ten years and was in a state of degradation. According to the same source, the renewal was total, although the owner made a point of preserving all possible original elements.
The structure and layout were kept, but the bathrooms, the kitchen and the windows needed immediate intervention, as well as the resolution of infiltrations on the roof.
Anthony explained to the site that “most of the woods were in good condition,” thanks to the protection of the varnish, although the dark shades had little to do with the typical Algarve architecture. The goal was to rehabilitate without decharacterizing.
A heritage that required research
It refers to NIT that, being a property classified as a historical heritage, the work required extra care.
One of the biggest challenges was finding the original Marseille tiles, which had to be ordered from the north of the country.
Another complex element was the upper trim, decorated with tiles from the old Sacavém dishonor factory, whose reproduction forced the detailed search for artisans capable of recreating the drawings.
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The second facade has another accent
Write the site that the property has two facades, the main one of Tavira’s most photographed. Already the rear follows a more Alentejo style: white, with yellow strip and pillars.
In total, there are 36 windows that have been replaced by double -glass solutions, and solar panels were installed.
The doors, nearly four meters high, were also manually restored in a slow process that involved the removal of the old varnish.
A project completed in record time
According to the same source, the full renewal of the manorial house lasted a year and four months, a relatively short period for such an intervention.
In terms of decoration, Anthony resorted to pieces of various supplies and times, reflecting his international experience.
The owner mentioned that “the organic combination of styles gave personality to space”, highlighting the harmony obtained between classic and modern elements.
Personality marked by diversity
According to the publication, the house now welcomes an eclectic and functional environment.
The choice of pieces and the reorganization of spaces respected the history of the house, giving it a new life without erasing the past.
Anthony Smith’s now renewed and preserved manorial house represents an example of how historical heritage can be valued without sacrificing comfort or identity.
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