Romanticism, a movement that influenced various artistic and cultural manifestations at the end of the 18th century and during the 19th century, is characterised by the rejection of rules, the quest for freedom, the search for the unattainable, subjectivism, appreciation of emotions, freedom in creation, in the composition and use of colours. New ways of being, of living and, above all of dwelling are assumed with the purpose of valuing the home as a concept attached to property, family, privacy and even to the relation with nature.
The Casa da Calçada, or Calçada House, originally from the 17th century and although the transformations occurred in the 19^th century, still offers a romantic frame. The original façade with its elements of oriental influence, so fashionable at the time, the strong colour, the metal domes and, under the porch roof, the indented and painted wooden lambrequins are details worth observing.
The interiors also revealed these fluctuations. In the well-to-do house, the rooms have well-defined functions, firmly distinguishing the public and the private sphere. Following this trend, the Calçada Palace, as it was then known, offered a visitors area (the Entrance Chamber and Halls) very well decorated and where the best furnishings and pieces of art were exhibited. An example of this is the plaster work visible on the ceilings and walls and, as dictated by fashion, the paper that covered them, with floral motifs and a strong colour (ochre yellow).
In the private area of ​​the House (the Tea and Game Rooms, the Lounge, the Library, etc.), people talked, read, sewed, played, listened to music, drank tea, and so on. Comfort was essential in private socializing. The number of cushions, rugs and textiles, side tables that flanked the chairs and sofas, bibelots, photographs and plants increased substantially putting into evidence the need for a cosy environment.
Another novelty was the greenhouse or conservatory, which allowed plants to bring nature into the heart of the home. This space and the garden, with its little "pleasure house", typical of the 19th century, guaranteed the tranquillity of private life.