The 1950s were a period of contradiction as a yearning for an idealised pre-war era clashed with a push for futuristic development.

As men returned from war, women went back to more domestic roles. The population surged into the suburbs, with home-centred living against a backdrop of tremendous technological, societal and economic change. But what was a typical American 1950s home like?

Read on to take a tour of perhaps the most aesthetically iconic decade of the last century. To enjoy these pictures on a desktop computer FULL SCREEN, click on the icon at the top right of the image...