Window Blinds for Penha de Franca.

Light arrives twice in a house on the Britona waterfront: once from the sky and again, lower and harsher, off the surface of the Mandovi. That reflected glare comes in under any roof overhang, which is why a sunscreen roller suits these river windows so well. Its open weave dulls the dazzle yet leaves the far bank visible through it. Choose a darker screen colour for the clearest view out. Because the air by the river is humid all year, keep to polyester or PVC-coated fabrics that wipe down and resist mildew, and save wooden venetians and bamboo for rooms on the dry, landward side. Wide windows are better divided between two blinds.

• Large river-facing windows in new villas: dark sunscreen rollers, motorised where several must be raised and lowered together.
• Old houses on the riverside road: roman blinds in a polyester blend, face-fixed on window frames that are no longer square.
• Verandas facing the water: clear PVC monsoon blinds for the wet months, which keep out the rain and still show the river.