Leave a wool or jute rug in a locked Sernabatim flat for a few months and it will greet the next guest with a smell. Fibres that take up moisture do badly this close to the sea, and worst in rooms without moving air. Polypropylene and nylon rugs stay inert, and before a long closure they can be rolled and stood on end so the floor beneath dries too. For lets, darker patterned designs hide sand from the beach and the odd spill, and a machine-made rug is simple to replace. Owners who use the flat themselves may want something softer in the bedroom; fitted carpet is reasonable only where the air conditioning runs.
- Let flats: dark patterned synthetic rugs in living room and bedrooms, washed at the end of each season.
- Flats shut between lets: rugs rolled and stood upright before locking up, so no damp is trapped on the tiles.
- Villa living rooms: a single large nylon rug that takes all the seating, chosen to the size of the room.
Sernabatim is the stretch of coast between Colva and Benaulim, a small ward with its own quiet beach. It is mostly holiday apartments, guest houses and a few villas, set among fields a short walk from the sand.
Most properties here are holiday flats in low-rise complexes, let to visitors for part of the year and used by their owners for the rest. Furnishing has to be durable, easy to wash, and neutral enough to suit any guest.
Sernabatim is close to the sea throughout, so salt and humidity affect every home. Flats that stand closed between lets need fabrics that do not turn musty.
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.
Holiday lets and guest houses
Choose dark, patterned, machine-made rugs for a let property. They hide sand and stains, cost little to replace, and can be washed between seasons.
