The question to ask of a headboard in Morjim is how it will fare in a closed room through the monsoon. Thick padding hard against an outside wall soaks up the damp that the sea and the Chapora put into the air, and it greets the first guests of winter with a musty smell. Hang the board on the wall with a gap behind it, seal the backing board on both faces, and cover it in something that wipes, leatherette or a closely woven performance fabric. A plain panelled shape is easy to re-cover after a few seasons of long-stay visitors leaning on it. Natural linen and deep tufting are better avoided this near the beach.
- Rooms in seasonal resorts: leatherette panels hung clear of the wall, cleaned and left uncovered when the building is closed.
- Villas let to winter visitors: a broad, flat-panelled design in a wipeable weave, simple enough to re-cover without remaking the frame.
- Guest-house rooms close to the beach: a sealed wooden headboard with a slim padded panel, which holds less moisture than deep upholstery.
Morjim lies on the north side of the Chapora river mouth, in Pernem. Its wide beach is a nesting site for olive ridley turtles, and the village behind it has resorts, beach restaurants and villas, popular with long-stay winter visitors.
Property is mostly seasonal: resorts, villas let through the winter, and guest houses. Many places close for the monsoon, so furnishing must store well and come out again fresh.
Morjim is exposed to both sea and river. Salt, wind and blown sand affect anything outdoors, and the monsoon is rough at the river mouth.
Sea-facing homes
Fix a headboard a little off a sea-facing wall so air can move behind it, and choose a synthetic or leatherette cover that does not hold damp. Wooden backing boards should be sealed on both sides.
Riverside and backwater homes
In a damp room, avoid thick padding pressed hard against an outside wall. A wall-hung headboard with a gap behind it, in a cover that can be wiped, stays fresh.
Visiting Morjim
Morjim is about eighty-five minutes from the showroom, across the Siolim bridge. We measure free of charge and plan Pernem visits for one day, so please book ahead.
Do you travel to Morjim?
Yes. It is about eighty-five minutes from Margao. We visit Morjim, Ashwem, Mandrem and Arambol on the same day, so please book a few days ahead.
What should a seasonal resort store over the monsoon?
Cushions and curtains, washed and fully dry, in a ventilated room. Blinds can be rolled up and left in place.