Restyling: Apartment T by Manuel Ribeiro.

Colour and ceramic tiles are the elements that lead the way in the transformation of a three-room apartment in the centre of Braga, Portugal. A young, open, light-filled space.



An anonymous apartment like so many others – with inflexible partitions leaving little room for the imagination and for design freedom – located near the historical centre of Braga, is the site for this research into material and colour.



Portuguese architect, Manuel Ribeiro interpreted his client’s restyling request by knocking down some of the inside walls and creating a large living area all around the open kitchen.



This Open Space is a neutral grey, making the bright colours of other elements positioned on the doors and on the equipment wall in the kitchen stand out.
In actual fact, the kitchen island also hides the home’s technological centre, well hidden by the work bench.





Colour puts you in a good mood and channels energy; here it is carefully measured and assisted by the lighting design. The lights have been integrated into the ceiling so they don’t cause interference.



One of the most interesting things about this apartment is the interior decoration of the two bathrooms – one has been covered with recycled ceramic tiles which were actually samples that Manuel Ribeiro had collected over the years. He used these to create a mosaic of different colours, textures and sizes to great visual effect, without dipping too far into financial resources.



The colour in the second bathroom comes from the multicoloured base propping up the basins, with the rest of the bathroom a white and neutral colour, like the living room, giving everything a clever balance.

Project: Apartment T
Architect: Manuel Ribeiro Architect
Location: Braga, Portugal
Photos: ITS - Ivo Tavares Studio, http://www.ivotavares.net/