Two things on Altinho work against wallpaper, and both are worth checking before a roll is ordered. The first is the weather side: walls that face the monsoon wind take driving rain, and any that has ever shown a patch should be treated or left alone. The second is shade. Rooms under the big trees dry slowly, and the lime plaster of the old bungalows holds that moisture; sealing it beneath vinyl invites blistering. What does take paper well is a dry inner wall, such as the partition between two bedrooms or a wall in one of the newer apartments. With ceilings this high, a large pattern or mural reads properly where it would overwhelm a small flat.
- Old bungalows: paper an internal partition or a later addition, and leave the original lime-plastered outer walls painted so that they can breathe.
- Rooms shaded by trees: PVC wall panels on the wall that feels damp, with wallpaper kept for a drier wall opposite.
- Newer apartment buildings: one vinyl-papered wall behind the bed or sofa, picked from the side sheltered from wind-driven rain.
Altinho is the wooded hill that rises behind the centre of Panjim. It holds the Bishop's Palace, official residences, government quarters and old bungalows, with views over the city and the Mandovi. It is quiet, green and close to everything.
Altinho has large old bungalows with verandas, high ceilings and many tall windows, alongside government quarters and a few newer apartment buildings. The bungalows need long curtains and a lot of fabric; many are official residences furnished to a set standard.
The hill catches the breeze and is cooler than the city below, but exposed windows take wind and driving rain in the monsoon. Trees keep rooms shaded and can make them damp.
Hilltop and plateau homes
Exposed walls on high ground are driven with rain in the monsoon. Paper the sheltered inner walls, and treat any wall that has shown damp patches before covering it. Vinyl wallpaper is the safe choice.
Old Goan houses
Old walls are lime-plastered and need to breathe. Sealing them under vinyl can trap moisture, so a wall is tested first, and loose or powdery plaster is made good. Often the answer is to paper a later partition wall and leave the old lime walls painted.
