By: Gabriella King
Published on: January 2, 2026
As many of you may have seen, the Algarve is still full of old Quintas, full of charm and traditional Portuguese design.
Many new homeowners purchasing properties in need of renovation request a design that respects the original charm of the property, whilst having a touch of contemporary, to make a home for themselves.
Combining talented architecture with a well thought-through interior design can really bring the traditional charm into the latest design trends.
Strongly influenced by Arabesque style, alongside the church, the Algarve is full of cultural and historical sites that are well protected in aim of keeping its rich history alive.
With old ruins in need of full renovation projects, it can be quite challenging to find an appropriate manner to respect the origins of the structure whilst accommodating the needs of a contemporary home.
The challenge of a ruin project can be a lengthy process with multiple returns to the drawing board to find appropriate solutions.
With careful architectural planning, the facade of a property can reflect all the traditional Portuguese style in the original design, whilst entering inside the home can be an eye-opening experience of different senses and trends.
Hints of materials found in the original builds such as cement tiles can truly blend smoothly with newer materials, such as micro-cement (a material highly on trend in the current interior design world). The smooth surface of these two materials can almost seamlessly weave between each other.
The patterns available for cement tiles are almost completely customizable, with a variety of great quality Portuguese brands. Often manufactured and handmade in Morocco, the colour pallets available within this material are countless. One tricky part is selecting patterns and colours that do not clash with one another. An interior designer can aid in the selection process, offering different options of matching patterns and colours, whilst providing a better visualisation of what this will look like.
A cement tile can range from very bold colours, for a statement home, to subdued and discreet tones for a more subtle design.
The material itself is soft and much warmer than ceramics, they are often combined with traditional Zellige or Bejmat tiles.
These earth tiles are handmade and are appreciated for their imperfections, offering bumps that make the wall more dynamic and pleasing to the eye.
When combined once more with a very smooth and soft surface, such as micro-cement, the visual effect is one that brings an interior room closer to a natural environment, this sense of a natural home can really make a space feel much cozier.
The Zellige tile is not a good fit for every home, and should be avoided for work surfaces in kitchens, as this can make the maintenance process very difficult.
Another traditional material that was often placed inside homes, is the Santa Catarina tile, a beautifully coloured terracotta tile, handmade in the Algarve itself, mostly found in exteriors and unfortunately, not often maintained well enough to keep its original beauty.
The Santa Catarina tile is available in many different shapes and styles, ranging from more rustic, to almost perfectly homogenous. As it is fired, each tile acquires its own unique colouring and even its own unique patterns. When laid out they create a traditional style of imperfection and harmony.
When combined with a different style of tile, such as a brighter ceramic material with a stone pattern, the contrast of the colours can elevate the design to offer different zoning around a property.
These terracotta tiles are charming when featured as the top lip of each step of an exterior staircase, they are also known to be resistant.
I would also not recommend placing these in the interiors of kitchens, as some oils and cooking ingredients may stain the material permanently, and unfortunately, glazing these tiles protectively makes the tile seem more old-fashioned. For bathroom options however, a new technology has created a great alternative for terracotta tiles to be manageable in a wet environment.
To go a step further from the traditional materials, some vintage furniture, fixtures and equipment, blending with a contemporary interior can easily make a space even more unique and special.
For example, selecting tapware in a more traditional metal colour, such as antique brass or bronze, can add an element of unexpected harmony to a space.
Many brands offer beautiful traditional designs of tapware, whilst incorporating contemporary systems and functions.
The mix of these two styles is something very sought out for home renovation designs in the Algarve, which is something I strive to offer to my clients when requested.
If you are planning a home design, I can guide you through all the stages of your renovation project, from planning to execution, all the way to the finishing touches.
Working alongside great teams of a builders and architects, I can offer specialised package combinations of design services to help make your dreams come to life.
