{"id":2118,"date":"2025-10-27T14:11:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T14:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/?p=2118"},"modified":"2026-03-30T20:42:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T19:42:12","slug":"obras-em-casa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/obras-em-casa\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Renovations: turning your dream into reality with (c)alm"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many, renovating a home is the beginning of a dream. However, the process isn\u2019t always simple: between deadlines, budgets, and decisions, what should be an exciting experience can quickly turn into a challenge. It was precisely on this topic that the program Sociedade Civil<\/strong>, hosted by Lu\u00eds Castro<\/strong> at RTP2<\/a><\/strong>, dedicated one of its most recent episodes to the topic, bringing together professionals with different perspectives from the industry: Ana Rita Gomes<\/strong>, architect and CEO of CURO<\/strong>, B\u00e1rbara Morais<\/strong>, digital content creator, and Joana Laranjeira<\/strong>founder of Atelier do \u00d3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backgrounds and Early Projects<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The conversation began with each guest\u2019s background in the world of architecture and renovation.

Ana Rita Gomes<\/strong>, who leads the studio CURO<\/strong>, in \u00c1gueda, shared that her first major project came from within her own family: \u201cI started with my brother\u2019s house, a new build from the ground up. He believed in me, and that\u2019s how CURO was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The studio, now with four years of activity, stands out for its approach that combines technical precision with a strong emotional component and close client support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, Joana Laranjeira<\/strong> explained that her path is closely aligned with digital communication. She founded Atelier do \u00d3<\/strong>, but she continues to use social media as an extension of her work, sharing decorating tips and small home improvements that anyone can try themselves. \u201cOnline, I\u2019m speaking to a camera \u2014 it\u2019s not the same as working on a real project with an architect. On social media, the advice tends to be more general,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And B\u00e1rbara Morais is an influencer and digital content creator. On the @familiabeijaflor social media accounts, she shares the renovation of a 1930s house in Vila do Conde. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Soul of a Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mais do que falar de obras em casa,<\/strong> o programa abordou o que realmente d\u00e1 a home its personality.<\/strong>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Ana Rita Gomes<\/strong>\u201cwhat makes a house is what turns it into a home.\u201d Whether it\u2019s a new build or a restoration, the architect believes the secret lies in understanding the people who will live there.\u201cFor instance, if they come from different nationalities, there\u2019s always a mediation process; or when it\u2019s a former grandmother\u2019s house, it\u2019s important to preserve certain features that keep the memory alive.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the thoughtful perspective that defines CURO\u2019s work, Ana Rita also emphasised that\u201can extremely tidy house is an uninhabited one. If that were the case, we\u2019d all live in hotel rooms.<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B\u00e1rbara Morais<\/strong>creator of the @familiabeijaflor<\/strong>, added that a space should reflect those who live in it:A woman turns a house into a home. For me to live in a house, it has to be adapted to me \u2014 it has to carry my personality. It can\u2019t be a copy-paste of other homes<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three guests reached a clear consensus: a home gains a soul when it\u2019s designed around people \u2014 not trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Profiles and Differences Among Clients<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The conversation moved on to the differences in client profiles<\/strong>, a topic the architects know well.
In general, women tend to be more attentive to aesthetics, comfort, and functionality<\/strong>, valuing details such as pantries, laundry rooms, and storage spaces. Men, on the other hand, are often more focused on the technical aspects of construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding these differences, they argue, is essential to tailoring each project to the real needs of every family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Industry Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When the conversation turned to the challenges of renovation work<\/strong> em casa, surgiram pontos de vista complementares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For B\u00e1rbara Morais<\/strong>the main obstacle remains the lack of qualified labor<\/strong> and contractors\u2019 failure to meet deadlines.
Joana Laranjeira<\/strong> highlighted another issue: many clients still have a limited perception of the value of architectural design. \u201cSome people request three quotes and choose solely based on price \u2014 only to realize later that the result isn\u2019t what they expected,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, Ana Rita Gomes<\/strong> emphasised the importance of the planning stage<\/strong> and the architect\u2019s role as the project\u2019s manager.Major problems don\u2019t start during construction \u2014 they start before it,<\/em>, she explained. \u201cAn architect doesn\u2019t just design; they\u2019re responsible for ensuring that the project complies with regulations, deadlines, and legal requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The architect also stressed that risks increase when renovation work doesn\u2019t follow the proper standards: \u201cThe problem isn\u2019t that people want to give their homes a new life, but when things don\u2019t meet the necessary requirements \u2014 and once they\u2019re done, City Hall won\u2019t approve them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Practical Side: Contractors and Deadlines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The program also featured the participation of Jo\u00e3o Correia<\/strong>, a construction entrepreneur who joined the discussion via video call. He explained that his company specialises in renovations and that its goal is \u201cto take ideas off the page and turn the client\u2019s dream into reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He acknowledged, however, that the shortage of qualified labor<\/strong> , is one of the biggest challenges in the industry. According to Jo\u00e3o, it\u2019s common for companies to manage several projects at the same time, reallocating teams from one site to another \u2014 which often leads to delays. \u201cWe chose a different approach: we prefer to finish one project before starting the next,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discussion also touched on issues such as unfair competition<\/strong>, including cases of contractors who work without insurance or abandon projects after receiving a deposit, leaving clients without a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Construir com confian\u00e7a<\/strong> e (c)alma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the conversation, the guests shared messages that summed up their vision of the industry.
For B\u00e1rbara Morais<\/strong>, it\u2019s essential to value construction professionals<\/strong>, reminding that \u201ca renovation takes time, and the investment is worth it.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joana Laranjeira<\/strong> emphasised the need to to pay a fair price for good work<\/strong>, stating that \u201cyou can\u2019t choose based on price alone and expect the same result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, Ana Rita Gomes<\/strong> she concluded with a message of optimism: Building doesn\u2019t have to be something we\u2019re afraid of. A project should be built on four pillars: safety, comfort, functionality, and aesthetics.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the full episode<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The episode Obras em Casa<\/em> of Sociedade Civil<\/strong> is available on the website of RTP2<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About CURO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The CURO<\/a><\/strong> is an architecture studio based in \u00c1gueda<\/strong>, founded by Ana Rita Gomes<\/strong>, with a focus on residential projects and renovation. The studio believes that every home should reflect the identity and memories of those who live in it, bringing together functionality, comfort, and aesthetics<\/strong> in a process marked by close and human-centered guidance. Want to renovate or build? Get in touch. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fazer obras em casa \u00e9, para muitos, o in\u00edcio de um sonho. No entanto, nem sempre o processo \u00e9 simples: entre prazos, or\u00e7amentos e decis\u00f5es, o que devia ser uma experi\u00eancia entusiasmante pode rapidamente tornar-se num desafio. Foi precisamente sobre este tema que o programa Sociedade Civil, apresentado por Lu\u00eds Castro na RTP2, dedicou uma […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2385,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2118"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2387,"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2118\/revisions\/2387"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curo.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}