The library contains Mr Sonneveld's bureau, a fitted bookcase and a small seat by the fireplace. The unusual semicircular wall is made even more striking by the use of metallic paint. Behind this wall, with the portrait of the fisherman’s wife, the staircase is hidden. All the furniture in this room was made by Gispen, including the eye-catching chairs upholstered in orangey red. There are two men's chairs with high backs and headrests, while the two women's chairs have lower backs so as not to disturb people’s hairdos. The wall behind the fireplace is home to a number of ultramodern gadgets. There's a clock connected to the electricity mains; most of the rooms have these, this system was quite unusual for the time. The vertical strip of small cupboards to the left of the fireplace has a speaker at the top, forming part of the central sound system. But the cleverest of these devices is behind the bottom door: a little elevator to carry firewood from the cellar. Another novelty was the lighting in the library and sitting room, consisting of no fewer than 22 narrow strip lights on the ceiling. They look like fluorescent tubes, but they're actually Philinea lamps, which have very long filaments and give a much warmer light. The room also contains lamps by Gispen, such as the two large pendant lamps: the Giso number 63, with an opal white glass bowl.

If you'd like to know more about Gispen, press A. To find out more about Mr Sonneveld, press C.

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