Book excerpt: In Modern Vintage Style, Emily Chalmers—interiors stylist and owner of hip boutique Caravan—shows how using vintage items in a contemporary context can introduce humor, flair, and personality to any home. In Modern Vintage Style, Emily Chalmers—interiors stylist and owner of hip boutique Caravan—shows how using vintage items in a contemporary context can introduce humor, flair, and personality to any home. Think antique and brand new, machine-made and handcrafted, shiny smooth and distressed, plastic and porcelain, all mixed up in a fresh, original way. Decorating should be fun and inspiring, so there are no style diktats; no “this-must-go-with-that”. Modern vintage 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, Emily offers up imaginative and varied examples of furniture, lighting, textiles, decorating, and collections & display. In the second section, Style, she shows you exactly how to pull the look together, applying her decorating philosophy so you can cook & eat, live, sleep, and bathe in tune with Modern Vintage Style.