I’ve spent a lifetime dealing in chairs and unique sofas. Around these West End streets, a sofa is never just a sofa. I’ve seen families walk in, and they all want character. A retro armchair, tells the truth. I remember selling a Chesterfield to a gentleman from St John’s Wood, classic armchair designs and the sofa aged but never gave way. That’s the point with retro. People wander past the big chains, but sooner or later they return. Cheap wood snaps, whereas real furniture stays.

The capital’s rooms all look different. Kensington demands velvet, with velvet chairs. Shoreditch is playful, with upcycled seats. That’s London. Let me put it plainly, an armchair becomes memory. Glossy showrooms don’t sell that. I still check the stitching for strength, and the right piece never lies. Old furniture lives. So when you’re tempted by the new, pause. Choose a funky accent chair, and see how it shapes your home.