I grew up amongst furniture, and I’ve never left it. Amongst the squares and crescents, customers aren’t simply shopping for wood and fabric. Old families from Belgravia and Kensington, and they’re looking for furniture that will outlast them. A retro armchair, velosky.ru delivers precisely what they’re after. I remember selling a Chesterfield to a gentleman from St John’s Wood, and the sofa aged but never gave way. That’s the Mayfair way. They flick through glossy catalogues, but eventually they realise.

Mass production doesn’t care, whereas retro lives on. This city speaks through its homes. Belgravia looks for tradition, with velvet chairs. Hackney raw, with colourful sofas. That’s what keeps us alive. I’ve learnt over years, a sofa becomes family. Modern factory pieces can’t compete. I still knock on the wood for weight, and I know straight away. Vintage has truth. When a showroom tempts you, stop. Find yourself a vintage sofa, and make it part of your Mayfair truth.