1950s hipsters: Pictures of mid-century style in Fifties House

We all have an image in our head of what the 1950s looked like, but these rediscovered photographs prove the hip homes of the era wouldn't look out of place today. Sure, you may catch the occasional glimpse of a Fifties housewife, but she's more likely to be holding a martini than a feather duster.

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Taken from the new book House & Garden Fifties House, the pictures reveal what mid-century style looked like the first time around. The biggest revelation? It's not so different from now. The book indulges our curiosity to see people's private spaces in the same vein of 'before and after' features on design blogs, most delightfully illustrated in Terence Conran's renovation of his first family home, back in 1957.

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Back then, there was no Instagram but in '56 there was Charles Eames photographing an architect's modernist retreat in New Mexico. There was also Giò Ponti's family apartment in Italy and Eero Saarinen's masterpiece in the American Midwest (both from 1959).

Parisian style lovers can peer into the pads of both Le Corbusier (1951) and Hans and Florence Knoll, while closer to home Robin and Lucienne Day set up home in Chelsea (both couples featured in '54).

Taken from the exclusive archives of House & Garden, the book features room-by-room inspiration- an appealing touch for Pinterest fans - with plenty of savvy ideas for small spaces.

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Take a closer look and you might recognise some of the items in your own home. Many of the companies featured are still going strong with original designs remaining in production (hello, Heal's) while a mid-century mood is currently sweeping shops as well (witness: West Elm).

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Written by Catriona Gray, who is House & Garden's resident books expert and modern design lover, the coffee-table tome is filled with amusing details that will delight design enthusiasts and vintage fans alike.