How an Architect Turned a Lisbon Shop Into A Home

Previously occupied by the local council, the ground-floor space lacked basic home essentials, including a kitchen. With only a modest budget and starting with a ‘dark, disorganised space that lacked character... and a backyard with no signs of life,’ the focus was on improving the relationships between spaces rather than altering the overall structure. With the only demolition being the wall between the kitchen and living area, warmth was channelled instead through thoughtful furnishing, glass partitions and a leafy courtyard that flows seamlessly from street into private retreat.

Below, we highlight five design decisions that help this former shop feel surprisingly generous and deeply connected to its surroundings.

1. A Curved Glass-Block Wall Connecting Street And Home

Before the renovation, the office – then shop – opened directly onto the street. Today, a curved glass-block wall sits between the two, a transparent "buffer," as José says, that allows privacy and light to co-exist. Behind the glass, a glazed desk and a full wall of curtains conceal a DIY storage system, where even with the front doors open, privacy and light remain. Sitting on the street side, the entrance is what José describes as working "in many ways like a balcony.” A place where his brother often sits in the morning to read in the sun,  the glass acts as a soft boundary, turning the entry into a sunny spot to pause..

2. The Courtyard: A Green Urban Oasis

At the back of the apartment is the courtyard, or as José calls it, "the lung of the flat". Once pointy-shaped and dark, it is now filled with soft light and tall lush plants, along with built-in seating, transforming the space into a peaceful urban oasis. The original double-leaf timber door has been replaced with a single, large glass door, while the adjacent window has been opened to floor level. Together, they transform the relationship between the indoor living space and the courtyard, brightening what was once a more separated connection. Often left open, the door and tilt window bring light and fresh air into the home, making the courtyard an extension of everyday living.

3. A Flexible Vintage Dining Table

Positioned between the kitchen, living area and courtyard, the dining area is one of the apartment’s busiest zones. The need for a table that could accommodate both daily life and movement through the space made it, in José’s words, “the most difficult piece of furniture to find.” The solution was a flexible vintage table from the 1960s, which José discovered and won in an online auction. Alongside chairs gifted by a friend who is also an architect, the table creates a practical yet adaptable dining space – its circular chrome base and laminated timber top expand to seat six when needed, then return to a smaller footprint, keeping circulation open.

4. A Kitchen That Balances Cabinetry and Furniture

Designed from scratch, the kitchen takes a lighter approach to storage. Rather than filling the small room with cabinetry, José created a layered mix of open shelving, rails and freestanding furniture that keeps the space feeling balanced and open. Above the kitchen counter, a stainless steel shelf holds books and dry goods, while a suspended IKEA rail keeps utensils within easy reach while cooking. Opposite, a second-hand cabinet found just a block away provides storage for pantry items, cups and kitchen essentials. Its colour also happens to match the new custom cabinetry below the counter, tying the different elements together while leaving the walls open and light.

5. A Curtain That Adds Privacy Without Blocking Light

The main bedroom saw the least intervention, with only the window frames changed and the heavy shutters replaced with security bars. To create privacy while maintaining a soft, light-filled atmosphere, José introduced a long white curtain that sits slightly recessed from the window. The additional layer separates the bedroom from the street while still allowing daylight to filter through, and provides a practical place to hang laundry to dry in the sun.

"I think there's a myth around small spaces," says José. "It's not really about scale... they can be magical, too." Just like a shop that's been turned into a home, that lives both on the edge of the city and safe in a retreat all of its own.

Scroll on to explore professional photographs by Francisco Nogueira and discover more details from this inventive Lisbon transformation.