Size is the first thing to get right with a rug in Dona Paula. The living rooms of the villas and penthouses are large, and a small rug adrift in the middle looks lost; it should be big enough for the front legs of every seat to stand on it. Material is the second. Close to the glass, sun bleaches one edge and salt-damp air creeps in when the terrace doors are open, so a synthetic or performance-fibre rug in a colour that will not show a faded border is the safe pick there. Wool and wall-to-wall carpet belong in bedrooms that are kept closed and air-conditioned. Stairs can take a runner cut to fit.
- Large living rooms: one wide rug carrying the whole seating group, in a synthetic that tolerates sun and sea air.
- Air-conditioned master bedrooms: wall-to-wall carpet or a deep wool rug, which stays dry only in a closed room.
- Villa staircases: a fitted runner in a hard-wearing low pile, made to the treads since villa stairs are seldom a standard size.
Dona Paula is the rocky headland west of Panjim where the Mandovi and Zuari estuaries meet the sea. It has a well-known viewpoint and jetty, research institutes, hotels, and some of the most expensive houses and apartments in Goa on the slopes above the water.
Homes here are large: villas and penthouses with wide glazing and terraces looking over the bay. Windows are often floor to ceiling, which means wide curtains on ceiling tracks, frequently motorised.
The headland is exposed on three sides. Wind is strong, salt spray reaches the terraces, and the sun is fierce on west-facing glass. Outdoor fabrics and fittings need to be marine grade.
Sea-facing homes
Wool and jute hold moisture near the sea and can smell. Synthetic rugs in polypropylene or nylon dry quickly and resist mildew, and can be taken outside to air. Wall-to-wall carpet suits only air-conditioned rooms.
Hilltop and plateau homes
Airy rooms on high ground dry quickly, which is good for natural-fibre rugs. Large open windows mean more sun on the floor, so choose colours that will not show fading along one edge.
Can floor-to-ceiling windows in Dona Paula be fitted with motorised curtains?
Yes. A motorised ceiling track suits wide, tall glazing. It needs a power point near one end of the track, which is best planned before the ceiling is finished.
What stands up to the wind on a Dona Paula terrace?
Awnings with wind sensors, guided outdoor blinds, and cushions with ties. Anything loose or unguided will not last a monsoon.
