"Japanese traditional houses have paper screens with mica paint which is a very subtle medium, giving a shiny appearance to recreate the pattern of the water, " she said.

BBC: Margaret Kerr unit in Melrose artworks taking shape

But the chairs were still trimmed with chipping red paint, and the floor tile seemed, as ever, to fall just short of exhibiting a regular pattern.

NEWYORKER: The Region of Unlikeness