Sonneveld House: A Modernist Time Capsule in Rotterdam

The Sonneveld House in Rotterdam, designed by Brinkman and Van der Vlugt in the 1930s, is a pristine example of the Nieuwe Bouwen style, the Dutch branch of International Modernism. The house was built for Albertus Sonneveld, a director of the Van Nelle Factory, his wife Gésine, and their daughters Puck and Gé. They moved in 1933, leaving behind their 19th-century townhouse and acquiring entirely new furnishings, mostly from Gispen. The house features a skeletal structure with large windows, sliding panels, and curtains for spatial flexibility. The daughters' studio includes a multifunctional sofa by Leendert van der Vlugt with a bookshelf, cupboard, and sound system connected throughout the house. Puck's room has a private terrace; Gé's room is yellow. The interior uses bold colors like vermillion red, cornflower blue, and canary yellow, with fabrics from Metz & Co. and furniture by Bart van der Leck. Modern amenities include an electric coffee grinder, rubbish chute, intercom, electric lift, and a master bathroom with two washbasins, a shower cabin, a bath, and a hydro-massage shower imported from America. The kitchen uses a gas stove, preferred by Mrs. Sonneveld for speed and cost. Maids earned 27.50 guilders per month and were summoned via a bell, house telephone, or buzzer system. The house is now a museum offering a glimpse into modernist domestic life.