Rugs do well on the upper floors of Vidya Nagar. The air is inland and dry enough for wool, cotton dhurries and jute, none of which would be wise beside the sea. What the neighbourhood's flats ask for is quiet: a rug under the sofa and table takes the noise of chairs and children out of the ceiling of the family below. Ground-floor flats are the exception. They can turn damp in the monsoon, and there a rug should be one that lifts and dries easily, without a rubber backing, and fitted carpet is better left out. Size the rug so a margin of tile shows all round.
- Upper-floor living rooms: a wool or cotton rug under the seating, large enough for the front legs of the sofa.
- Ground-floor flats: a light synthetic or cotton rug with no rubber back, rolled up and aired when the floor feels damp.
- Students' rooms: a flat-woven dhurrie under the study table, thin enough for a chair to move on and easy to shake out.
Vidya Nagar is a residential part of Margao, on its eastern side, known for its schools and colleges. It is a quiet area of apartment buildings, housing societies and independent bungalows on tree-lined internal roads. Our showroom is here.
Most homes are two and three-bedroom flats from the last thirty years, with standard-height windows and one or two balconies. Bungalows on the internal roads have larger living-room windows and sit-outs. In flats, curtains and blinds are usually fitted within the window recess to keep clear of wardrobes and study tables placed against the wall.
Being inland and sheltered by trees, Vidya Nagar has little salt in the air. Rooms on the upper floors of west-facing blocks take strong afternoon sun, and ground-floor flats can feel damp in the monsoon, which matters for wallpaper and rugs.
Apartments and town flats
In a flat, a rug under the seating softens noise for the neighbours below. Leave a border of floor showing around it. Carpet tiles suit a home office because one stained tile can be changed.
Inland homes
A drier inland home can use wool, cotton dhurries and jute without trouble. Rugs gather the dust that comes in from the road, so choose sizes that can be taken out and beaten or vacuumed easily.
