Thanks for this! We are moving to Portugal in January, having just received our residency visas. And we like "finds" for our living space. Our current LA loft has a gas pump, subway sign, a surfboard and other similar decors. We like it.
Nancy, I love your emails. You dig into all the questions that have plagued me since I moved here from Utah a year ago. I went through exactly the same confounding search for junkyards, and gradually came to the conclusion that it is "an idea that is simply not in their culture." It seemed crazy to me, but I gradually came to accept it. I still don't understand why, exactly, but I have my guesses (lack of consumerist excess chief among them.)
The lack of insulation and heating systems in buildings is another one. You could argue that the climate is mild and therefore the need isn't as great, but I don't buy that. Other cultures with similar climates have adopted insulation standards. And the winters here are cold and damp enough to warrant heating for at least 6 months a year (and every year there is a spike in deaths during the winter which are attributed partially to lack of heating.) But when you talk to Portuguese people, they seem to think we're all spoiled. They are used to living with cold and damp it seems.
Another thing that is puzzling: Portuguese people seem to prefer exterior storm-type shutters, and they tend to close them at night. I still don't understand that. The shutters are louvered or vented so they don't have any insulating properties. Is it for security? Or privacy?
Nancy, there were few things that disappointed while being in Portugal. The biggest one was the contemporary style new construction. It is every where. I can’t tell you how many times I heard when asked why……..and was told the Swedes, Danish, most Europeans prefer that crisp, sharp lines. There is NOTHING Portuguese about this architecture. The new builds and newly renovated buildings all looked the same. They must only have 3 colors of granite counter colors of gray, grey and mostly grey. It all looks so sterile and antiseptic. Every time I’d walk in and see one of these, I never felt there was any life to them.
Growing up with animals my whole life, there is a certain feeling, a presence when you walk into a home of people who have dogs……vs. a home without. It is subtle, but the home with dogs is a home with a spirit and is a live. You feel it.
Inside a white box, white shiny floors and grey tiles, I feel as though I must wear gloves in order to keep finger prints off everything and to maintain that sterile feeling.
Hi Nancy, Thanks for another excellent post. You have now forewarned us about what we can expect to see as we look for an apartment in Lisbon. Your description of the sameness of all you saw reminded me of renovated houses in the US. It seemed like every house we looked at had the same pale grey walls and white trim. I thought there was probably a paint color at Home Depot called "Renovation Grey".
Another thought: I see trucks parked at building sites where they're loading up the debris from demolition - usually stone or concrete. Whoever is driving the truck could probably tell you where it all gets taken.
Good write up! We bought a 1930's house in Porto just before the Cvid hit, and also went through the same questioning of... surely there MUST be some place? Unfortunately, did not find anything. We carefully saved and worked around/under/over the lovely old woodwork and plaster ceilings, moved this door over there, etc just to keep the feel. The builders had to be watched constantly, and I asked to "please save those old baseboards and put them in the cave". Only one door got thrown out, though I asked to save it... and they ripped out an ancient ivy from the garden...as you say: new is what is wanted, eh? Anyway, thanks for your writing, and your interest in waste management (another bugaboo of mine!) Fica bem!
In my new life here in Portugal, I am just starting to learn how to refurbish furniture. I am looking for places to find treasures that need some love but like you, it is not an easy thing to find. If you find the mecca of used items, let me know ;)
I spoke with an engineer who was in looking at our building and he told me that in Lisbon, when they go to redo a building, oftentimes they gut it, and throw everything that was inside the unit away....
On another note, we have a clawfoot bathtub in our building and it is not exactly the right tub for us. If you would like it, feel free to message me. We are in Setúbal and the bathtub is currently on the third floor, but It has to come out at some point in the next few months as we begin construction.
We are planning on moving to Portugal in 2022 and buying an older place to renovate. I too love blending new modern items while keeping the character of the old. I didn't find any salvage places when we were there exploring and wondered what they did with it all. We bought a 1885 Victorian and rebuilt it here in Oregon. We used so many repurposed materials and the place came out beautiful. We hope to do the same in Portugal. Nancie Koerber
Thank you for sharing such interesting things about cultural differences! I find them fascinating, and what makes travel to other places worthwhile, although I see in this case it is not necessarily a positive thing.
After owning homes for 30 years, and after selling the last one, due to a variety of circumstances, I have been renting here in the US, and here, too, all of the new (and most of the renovated) apartments are all white and gray. While allowing for instant move-in to match anything, they do lack any personality. I finally found a small studio in what was a very old rooming house, only to be booted out (all 10 units of us!) so the new property development company could gut it and put in, you guessed it, gray and white, and granite countertops and stainless appliances, and more than double the rent. Currently I’m in an old carriage house (ie garage) with a lovely old claw foot tub, but sadly, an ugly “modern” fiberboard vanity, and virtually no soundproofing from the neighbors above. May be time to head off with a backpack again, when Covid permits. Hopefully you’ll find your “personality pieces” to make your new place your home - good luck!! :)
I wonder if you changed your search to Salvage if you might have better luck. We don’t use the term “junk yard” where I live except for actual junk. Instead, the word salvage is what we use and seems to be what you are referring to, things worth saving or having the possibility of reusing like an old claw foot tub. A quick Google search seemed to bring up places around Lisbon calling themselves architectural salvage.
I know you like white but a white floor in a kitchen means you constantly have to be mopping it. I once had one and said I would never want another again…
Thanks for this! We are moving to Portugal in January, having just received our residency visas. And we like "finds" for our living space. Our current LA loft has a gas pump, subway sign, a surfboard and other similar decors. We like it.
Try the search phrase "architectural salvage"
Nancy, I love your emails. You dig into all the questions that have plagued me since I moved here from Utah a year ago. I went through exactly the same confounding search for junkyards, and gradually came to the conclusion that it is "an idea that is simply not in their culture." It seemed crazy to me, but I gradually came to accept it. I still don't understand why, exactly, but I have my guesses (lack of consumerist excess chief among them.)
The lack of insulation and heating systems in buildings is another one. You could argue that the climate is mild and therefore the need isn't as great, but I don't buy that. Other cultures with similar climates have adopted insulation standards. And the winters here are cold and damp enough to warrant heating for at least 6 months a year (and every year there is a spike in deaths during the winter which are attributed partially to lack of heating.) But when you talk to Portuguese people, they seem to think we're all spoiled. They are used to living with cold and damp it seems.
Another thing that is puzzling: Portuguese people seem to prefer exterior storm-type shutters, and they tend to close them at night. I still don't understand that. The shutters are louvered or vented so they don't have any insulating properties. Is it for security? Or privacy?
Nancy, there were few things that disappointed while being in Portugal. The biggest one was the contemporary style new construction. It is every where. I can’t tell you how many times I heard when asked why……..and was told the Swedes, Danish, most Europeans prefer that crisp, sharp lines. There is NOTHING Portuguese about this architecture. The new builds and newly renovated buildings all looked the same. They must only have 3 colors of granite counter colors of gray, grey and mostly grey. It all looks so sterile and antiseptic. Every time I’d walk in and see one of these, I never felt there was any life to them.
Growing up with animals my whole life, there is a certain feeling, a presence when you walk into a home of people who have dogs……vs. a home without. It is subtle, but the home with dogs is a home with a spirit and is a live. You feel it.
Inside a white box, white shiny floors and grey tiles, I feel as though I must wear gloves in order to keep finger prints off everything and to maintain that sterile feeling.
Hi Nancy, Thanks for another excellent post. You have now forewarned us about what we can expect to see as we look for an apartment in Lisbon. Your description of the sameness of all you saw reminded me of renovated houses in the US. It seemed like every house we looked at had the same pale grey walls and white trim. I thought there was probably a paint color at Home Depot called "Renovation Grey".
Another thought: I see trucks parked at building sites where they're loading up the debris from demolition - usually stone or concrete. Whoever is driving the truck could probably tell you where it all gets taken.
Good write up! We bought a 1930's house in Porto just before the Cvid hit, and also went through the same questioning of... surely there MUST be some place? Unfortunately, did not find anything. We carefully saved and worked around/under/over the lovely old woodwork and plaster ceilings, moved this door over there, etc just to keep the feel. The builders had to be watched constantly, and I asked to "please save those old baseboards and put them in the cave". Only one door got thrown out, though I asked to save it... and they ripped out an ancient ivy from the garden...as you say: new is what is wanted, eh? Anyway, thanks for your writing, and your interest in waste management (another bugaboo of mine!) Fica bem!
In my new life here in Portugal, I am just starting to learn how to refurbish furniture. I am looking for places to find treasures that need some love but like you, it is not an easy thing to find. If you find the mecca of used items, let me know ;)
I spoke with an engineer who was in looking at our building and he told me that in Lisbon, when they go to redo a building, oftentimes they gut it, and throw everything that was inside the unit away....
On another note, we have a clawfoot bathtub in our building and it is not exactly the right tub for us. If you would like it, feel free to message me. We are in Setúbal and the bathtub is currently on the third floor, but It has to come out at some point in the next few months as we begin construction.
Dumpster diving...amazing treasures to be found
We are planning on moving to Portugal in 2022 and buying an older place to renovate. I too love blending new modern items while keeping the character of the old. I didn't find any salvage places when we were there exploring and wondered what they did with it all. We bought a 1885 Victorian and rebuilt it here in Oregon. We used so many repurposed materials and the place came out beautiful. We hope to do the same in Portugal. Nancie Koerber
Thank you for sharing such interesting things about cultural differences! I find them fascinating, and what makes travel to other places worthwhile, although I see in this case it is not necessarily a positive thing.
After owning homes for 30 years, and after selling the last one, due to a variety of circumstances, I have been renting here in the US, and here, too, all of the new (and most of the renovated) apartments are all white and gray. While allowing for instant move-in to match anything, they do lack any personality. I finally found a small studio in what was a very old rooming house, only to be booted out (all 10 units of us!) so the new property development company could gut it and put in, you guessed it, gray and white, and granite countertops and stainless appliances, and more than double the rent. Currently I’m in an old carriage house (ie garage) with a lovely old claw foot tub, but sadly, an ugly “modern” fiberboard vanity, and virtually no soundproofing from the neighbors above. May be time to head off with a backpack again, when Covid permits. Hopefully you’ll find your “personality pieces” to make your new place your home - good luck!! :)
I wonder if you changed your search to Salvage if you might have better luck. We don’t use the term “junk yard” where I live except for actual junk. Instead, the word salvage is what we use and seems to be what you are referring to, things worth saving or having the possibility of reusing like an old claw foot tub. A quick Google search seemed to bring up places around Lisbon calling themselves architectural salvage.
I know you like white but a white floor in a kitchen means you constantly have to be mopping it. I once had one and said I would never want another again…
I have never gone to one but I know they exist. You call the town hall and ask where is one in Cascais.
Also if you call they will come and collect stuff you cannot put in the garbage cans.