Few towns in Goa are as kind to wallpaper as Ponda. The air carries no salt, most walls in the newer colonies and apartment buildings are brick and cement, and they stay dry on the inside for most of the year. That opens up nearly every type of vinyl design. Two cautions apply. The monsoon here is heavy and the hills keep the air humid, so an outer wall that faces the rain should be checked for seepage before anything is pasted on it. And traffic dust clings to rough surfaces, so on a wall near an open window a smooth vinyl that wipes clean will keep its looks longer than a deeply textured one.
- Large family living rooms: a patterned or mural wallpaper on the main wall, where there is enough width for the design to read.
- Pooja rooms: a smooth, light-coloured vinyl behind the shrine, kept clear of lamp soot and wiped down from time to time.
- Rooms facing the road: darker or patterned smooth vinyl, which hides the film of dust that settles between cleaning days.
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.
Inland homes
Dry inland walls are the kindest to wallpaper. Almost any type can be used, including textured and fabric-backed papers. The risk here is a wall that takes the full monsoon rain from outside, which should be checked for seepage before papering.
Apartments and town flats
In a flat, one papered wall behind the sofa or the bed changes the room for little cost. Shared walls with a neighbour's bathroom or kitchen should be checked for damp. Vinyl wallpaper wipes clean, which suits homes with children.
