This was the Sonneveld family's guest bedroom, though they probably didn't have very many guests. Those who did come were mostly Mr Sonneveld's business contacts, and important visitors would stay at the Parkhotel round the corner. Relatives probably stayed here occasionally, but it was mainly the daughters' girlfriends that came to stay. However, the guest room was not particularly popular with them; they found it much more enjoyable sleeping on mattresses on the floor in Puck's or Gé's bedrooms. The room doesn't have a bathroom of its own, and guests used the daughters' bathroom on the other side of the landing. However, it does have a double washbasin and all the same luxuries as the other bedrooms, including a telephone, clock and sound system. The grey cork linoleum was the very latest fashion, and was recommended by many architects because it was waterproof, made good insulation against cold and noise, and didn't harbour moths, dust or bacteria. So it was ideal for a household in which cleanliness and tidiness were at a premium.

If you'd like to know more about linoleum in the 1930s, press A.

A