At Raised in a Circus we absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE big vintage coffee table books packed with gorgeous images of vintage homes and interior design ideas. They give us so much inspiration when it comes to sourcing items for our customers and are a constant learning source in helping us to determine our own unique style too. Whether you are looking to refurb a whole new space or simply want to mix a touch of vintage with modern then our top 5 vintage home style books should give you all the design porn you need !   

Vintage Living: Creating a Beautiful Home with Treasured Objects from the Past By Bob Richter 

With a true passion for antiques, or any object with a past and a story, this book speaks to our desire to surround ourselves with belongings that impart beauty and meaning to our lives. Drawing on his years of experience as a stylist and interior designer, the author takes us through a trove of beautiful historic homes, illustrating how to live stylishly with our vintage finds and collections (hint: buy what you love, express yourself, and don t be afraid to mix periods!) A celebration of the art of thrifting and decorating with antiques of every era, Vintage Living is a full-service guide to treasure hunting. With chapters on vintage entertaining and cooking; vintage holiday decor for all seasons (including Valentine s Day, Easter, and Halloween among others); giving vintage gifts; embracing vintage ways (write letters, repurpose and recycle); and caring for your old treasures, this bible of vintage living will inspire you to take a personal and creative approach to your decor. 

Home for the Soul: Sustainable and thoughtful decorating and design By Sarah Bird 

 A shift in awareness means that we are increasingly thoughtful about the materials we use, the scarcity of the earth’s resources and how to lighten our footprint on the planet. This book shows how to create a beautiful home that suits its inhabitants while causing minimum damage to our increasingly fragile environment including using non toxic, vegan paints and fabrics. The first section shares ideas for the elements of a stylish yet sustainable home, from lighting to linens, in the second, the authors visit soulful homes and their owners to discover how they have created interiors that are beautiful yet responsible at the same time.  Home for the Soul shows how a mindful, ethically sourced and eco-friendly ethos can be at the heart of modern homemaking. It looks at sustainable, renewable and reclaimed materials, using traditional skills and choosing organic and hand-produced homewares. No matter how new or old a building, or what your own particular style is, there are simple ways to add warmth, contentment and soul to our homes. 

Style your Modern Vintage Home: A guide to buying, restoring and styling from the 1920s to 1990s  By Kate Beavis 

A really inspirational book for all vintage enthusiasts which covers  every vintage decade, practical tip for buying, styling and restoring your vintage homewares and achieving your perfectly styled vintage home. With 'real' homes, 'real' people and 'real' affordable items, this book shows you how you can achieve a stylish vintage/modern home too.  
 
Each chapter covers a decade from the 1920s to the 1990s, introducing fascinating social history from that period  and sub-sections for the living room, bedroom, kitchen, study, hall and even the garden, showing the must-have items. There are practical styling tips, restoration and cleaning tips, and useful watch out advice for buying vintage pieces. As different eras may be mixed, there are also cross references to other chapters.  

A lovely foreword by vintage style icon Paloma Faith too.  

Modern Vintage Style By Emily Chalmers  

Decorating should be fun and inspiring with no style diktats like ‘this-must-go-with-that’. This book is all about trusting your instincts and taste and using a bit of imagination in seeking out the right items to create a perfect balance of old and new. In the first section of the book, Inspirations, the author offers up imaginative and varied examples of furniture, lighting, textiles, decorating and collections & display. In the second section, Style, she shows us exactly how to pull the look together, applying her decorating philosophy so we can cook and eat, live, sleep and bathe perfectly in tune with  Modern Vintage Style. 

Flea Market Chic: The thrifty way to create a stylish home  By Liz Bauwens  

A  distressed chair or a vintage mirror adds a perfect finishing touch to a modern room as are faded textiles, weathered furniture, mis-matched china and the occasional flamboyant lamp or work of art. They are all part of the charm. This book is about a sense of history and place, about individuality, and creating a home that reflects your life and personality. A must for any vintage hunter and gatherer.