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Photo: Tom Crane
Dramatic Pause
Within the light, expansive spaces of an open-plan house, this high-gloss butler’s pantry functions as a sort of punctuation mark, providing a surprising interlude in the overall design. "The space was intended to be a small moment of great intensity, to create a sharp contrast to the pale palette characteristic of the balance of the house," says architect Richard Buchanan. "The entire interior is the same gloss enamel, which proved a challenge for the painters to get right and required a couple of tries to manage the demands of a very smooth, very reflective surface without ripples or runs."