Vintage Home (20th century Design for Contemporary Living) by Judith Miller is a practical collector’s guide, a celebration of the many decorative styles of the 20th century, and a guide to combining retro and contemporary pieces in your home. The ‘vintage’ designs covered in this book were all considered to be modern in their day, and many still do appear strikingly modern, despite their age. The book is not only a guide to designers who led the way in the 20th century, but shows us ‘influential pieces’ of each eclectic style, as well as these pieces in contemporary settings (many of them the designers’ own homes). Antiques expert Judith Miller shows how furniture and accessories from around the world, from different design eras and made for every taste and budget, can be sit comfortably together to create a new and individual look.

The Heart Chair is probably Verner Panton’s most recognisable design (1959). The strong shape and vibrant colour made it an international success. It holds its own in this brightly coloured room with a dramatic carpet. Photo: Andrew Boyd / © Jacqui Small LLP

Scandinavian designers favoured natural materials. Paul Kjaerholm (1929-80) designed dozens of chairs, stools and tables with clean lines and great attention to detail. This is the main living room of his home in Denmark, where he effortlessly combined furniture in wood, leather, steel and laminate. The look is further softened by the sisal flooring and natural beams. Photo: Simon Upton / © Jacqui Small LLP

In the living room of what used to be his home and studio in Milan (and where his son now lives), the Italian designer Piero Fornasetti recreated a Wunderkammer, a ‘chamber of wonders’ through the use of rich colours and a variety of printed Fornasetti motifs. Photo: Simon Upton / The Interior Archive / Designer: Betony Vernon

Frank Gehry’s Wiggle Chair (1972) in laminated cardboard was designed to be affordable and meet the need for designers to be aware of environmental concerns. Photo: Miguel Flores Vianna / The Interior Archive / Architect: Juan Ignacio Ramos

A rustic wooden table contrasts with a set of Ghost Chairs by Philippe Starck. These injection-moulded polycarbonate chairs pare back the shape of a classic Louis XVI armchair to lines and shadows. Photo: Nat Rea / The Interior Archive / Designer: Donna Elle / Architect: BPC Architecture

All images extracted from Vintage Home by Judith Miller.

Published by Jacqui Small (£30). www.jacquismallpub.com