A bedroom in Ponda is dry enough for almost any upholstery, which is not true on the coast. Linen blends and velvets can be used on a headboard here without fear of damp, and the board can sit flat against the wall. Dust is what to plan for. It drifts in from the road and settles in every fold, so deep button tufting, with its dozens of small pockets, is harder to keep clean than flat panels or wide channels. A cover that can be vacuumed or wiped is the practical choice in a home that is lived in every day. In a flat with a small bedroom, fix the headboard to the wall to save depth.
- Master bedrooms in family houses: a wide panelled headboard in a vacuumable weave, with flat surfaces in place of deep buttoning.
- Compact flats in new buildings: a wall-fixed board the width of the bed, with a narrow shelf instead of side tables.
- Children's rooms: leatherette in a mid colour, which wipes clean of fingerprints and the dust that blows in from the street.
Ponda is the main town of the Goan hinterland, set among low forested hills. It is the centre of the taluka best known for its temples, at Mangeshi, Mardol and Kavlem, and for spice plantations, and it is also a working town, with industrial estates nearby and a busy market.
Ponda has grown fast in apartment buildings and housing colonies for people working in the industries and offices around it, alongside traditional family houses. Homes are owner-occupied and furnished for daily life, with pooja rooms and large family living rooms.
Ponda is well inland. There is no salt in the air, but summers are hotter than on the coast and the monsoon is heavy, with the surrounding hills adding to humidity. Dust from traffic through the town is noticeable.