I grew up amongst furniture, and space-saving seating options I’ve never left it. Amongst the squares and crescents, a sofa is never just a sofa. Designers with clients in tow, and they all want a piece that speaks. A velvet seat with history, gives them that. I remember selling a Chesterfield to a gentleman from St John’s Wood, and the sofa aged but never gave way. That’s the point with retro. They waste time with flat-pack, but eventually they realise.

Gloss wears off, whereas classic sofas grow finer. The capital’s rooms all look different. St John’s Wood desires quiet luxury, with buttoned wingbacks. Dalston experimental, with retro mismatches. That’s the charm. Let me put it plainly, the right piece will define a home. Glossy showrooms don’t sell that. I still knock on the wood for weight, and the difference is clear. Old furniture lives.

When a showroom tempts you, step back. Bring home something with story, and let it settle into your life.