Whether wallpaper lasts in Betalbatim depends on which end of the village the house is in and how it is kept. On sea-facing plots the weather walls take salt and moisture, and paper belongs only on inner walls, on an anti-fungal primer. Among the fields the air is still and humid, with standing water close by in the monsoon; a second home locked up through those months gets no airing, and seams can lift. Rooms that run an air conditioner or dehumidifier hold wallpaper well. Use vinyl, never paper-backed or fabric types. The tall walls of a villa living room suit a large pattern, planned so the repeat falls right.
- Villa living rooms: a large-scale vinyl on the tallest inner wall, with the pattern set out from the top.
- Bedrooms in second homes: paper behind the bed only, in a room that is aired or air-conditioned while the owners are away.
- Holiday lets near the beach: a hard-wearing vinyl in a design that will not date, plus one spare roll.
Betalbatim is a quiet coastal village north of Colva, reached through coconut groves and fields. Its beach is uncrowded, backed by casuarina trees, and the village has a few well-known restaurants, some resorts, and a growing number of villas and holiday homes.
New building in Betalbatim is mostly independent villas and small gated clusters, many of them second homes. They have large glazed openings to gardens and pools, which call for wide curtains, outdoor blinds and outdoor cushions.
The village runs from the beach inland, so exposure varies: sea-facing plots get salt and wind, while homes among the fields are sheltered but humid and close to standing water in the monsoon.
Sea-facing homes
Sea-facing walls take in salt and moisture, and paper lifts at the seams if the wall is not sealed. Use vinyl-coated wallpaper on an anti-fungal primer, and keep it to inner walls or walls that do not face the weather. Check for salt bloom on the plaster first.
Villas and gated homes
Large walls suit large patterns and murals, which would be lost in a small room. Double-height walls need the pattern planned from the top so the repeat lands well at eye level. Air-conditioned rooms hold wallpaper very well.
