Dining room croquet follows an inventive route around green velvet chairs and across a broad parquet floor. A boy in a navy knitted polo and rust corduroy shorts bends over his mallet beside a plum ball. Beyond the chairs, his younger sister crouches to one side and points toward the next part of their course. Her checked dress, ankle socks and small shoes suit the relaxed afternoon.

The indoor game uses narrow wire hoops held upright by little wooden feet. Their modest scale leaves the room itself fully visible: cocoa walls painted with pale blossoms, a crystal chandelier, polished dining furniture and a glass cabinet filled with green vessels. Soft window light runs across the floor and the worn velvet, joining the children to the things around them.

Open double doors reveal another comfortable room with books, patterned rugs, an ochre sofa and a glowing shaded lamp. The children remain absorbed in the same small challenge. His careful stance and her guiding finger turn the space between the furniture into a shared adventure.