London’s Retro Revival: Why Vintage Armchairs and Sofas Still Rule I’ve always had a soft spot for old furniture. Growing up, there was a sofa in our house that had seen it all. It was worn, patched, living room chairs and sofas and squeaky, but it told a story. Back in the sixties, furniture meant something. Chairs lived longer than flats. It’s in the sag of the springs. I dragged a velvet armchair home from Camden. The legs were wobbling, but I knew straight away it had something.

It’s outlasted three flats and quirky sofas two relationships. Furniture in London shifts with the postcode. Belgravia keeps it polished, with grand accent chairs. Shoreditch stays messy, with industrial armchairs. It’s the mix that makes it all work. The catalogue stuff has no soul. Armchairs with scars get better with years. They carry scratches like tattoos. At the end of the day, retro armchairs will always beat flat-pack. Your seat should outlast the years. So next time you’re tempted by something new, wander a street full of second-hand single long chair shops.

Pick up a retro armchair, and watch it age alongside you.