Interior furniture entirely produced in Portugal

Miguel Raposo shared his passion for design and architecture with The Portugal News, “As a professional, I started working about 30 years ago. In 2008 I created my own atelier, bringing together several professionals in the field of architecture, interior design and equipment, starting by developing essentially architectural projects in the area of rehabilitation and interior design.

For many years, these projects dominated our work, not only because it was a period of high demand, which allowed, among other situations, to transform the city of Lisbon, but also because it was something that gave us a lot of satisfaction to see the integral transformation of a building and the new ways of living in them, whether that be housing, hotels or commercial spaces.”

Inspiration behind the collection

When asked how his collection came to life, Miguel confided that “It is not always easy to find the pieces we dream of for each project, which led me to complement these same projects with furniture designed by me. I took advantage of my training in equipment design, knowledge of ergonomics and materials and knowing the needs of customers, which led me to edit a furniture collection.”

When it comes to the inspiration behind the collection, Miguel shared “I believe that real-world experiences are the greatest source of inspiration, especially at a time when digital seems to dominate our existence. It is urgent to use our senses to live our daily lives in a real and intense way, and to be attentive to what surrounds us, whether on a great trip, a walk through our city, turning pages in a book or an architectural detail hidden in a corner of the city.

It is this connection with the world that I always intend to convey in my projects, never forgetting materiality, which is the essential element that serves as a starting point for the design of many pieces. Wood, stone, metal are natural elements that stimulate our senses and are very inspiring.”

The Showroom

The showroom is open to the public and can be visited without appointment, either by individuals or professionals, so that they can acquire the pieces individually and integrate them in their projects. This collection allows us to customize the pieces according to the needs and requirements of our customers, without ever distorting the aesthetic concepts that characterise it. The showroom is located at Rua da Junqueira, in Lisbon.

Miguel explained “With the creation of this showroom, I wanted to give greater visibility to my creative world as a designer. Here, it is possible to see the Miguel Raposo interiors Collection in a real context, along with other pieces of furniture and accessories, vintage or antique pieces, as well as works of art, reflecting an eclectic taste. The goal is for customers to identify with the space, to see how the pieces can work in a real environment and to imagine them in their own home.”

New Projects

Miguel revealed that “Fortunately, we have many projects happening simultaneously, at the moment the most challenging is a project to rehabilitate a Pombaline building in the heart of Lisbon's historic centre.”

Further adding that “Stimulating for the challenge of respecting the architecture of the time and at the same time providing it with the comfort requirements for a hotel unit. It will be a project developed in its entirety by our atelier, and will also include the design of the interiors. The classicism of the architectural design and the maintenance of this image will go hand in hand with other concepts of contemporaneity.”

Sustainability

Miguel also assured that “The concern with sustainability is transversal to the whole society, whether environmentally, financially or socially, and it is something I take very seriously in my work.

As a designer who uses natural raw materials, I feel the added and constant responsibility to find the best options to create an eco-friendly environment in each of my projects. For me, sustainability is reflected in the durability of the pieces I create and the possibility of giving the same piece several lives.

A piece cannot only be resistant to be sustainable, if it is not functional, it will not be sustainable either. Allied to these two key concepts, durability and functionality, there is a 3rd concern that reflects me as a designer, which is timelessness. What's the point of having aesthetically pleasing pieces if they are reflections of passing trends that go out of style?

Contributing to a change of mentalities regarding interior design, demonstrating that it is possible to create quality, lasting, timeless and useful pieces is a mission that makes me proud.”

For more information, please visit https://www.miguelraposo.design/ or visit @miguelraposodesign on Facebook.

Following undertaking her university degree in English with American Literature in the UK, Cristina da Costa Brookes moved back to Portugal to pursue a career in Journalism, where she has worked at The Portugal News for 3 years. Cristina’s passion lies with Arts & Culture as well as sharing all important community-related news.

Cristina da Costa Brookes