I’ve spent a lifetime dealing in chairs and unique settee sofas. Around these West End streets, people don’t buy just to sit. Old families from Belgravia and Kensington, and they all ask for quality. A funky accent chair, carries the room. I sent a set of accent chairs to a Grosvenor Square apartment, and the scars became part of the charm. That’s the point with retro. They waste time with flat-pack, but sooner or later they return. Fabric frays fast, whereas vintage lasts.

This city speaks through its homes. Kensington demands velvet, with plush sofas. Hackney raw, with retro mismatches. That’s London. End of the day, the right piece will define a home. Flat-pack won’t do that. I still check the stitching for strength, and unique chairs the real thing speaks. Old furniture lives. So when you’re tempted by the new, pause. Pick up a retro quirky armchair, and watch it age gracefully.