I’ve spent a lifetime dealing in chairs and sofas. In the heart of London, people don’t buy just to sit. Young men with new flats, and they all ask for quality. A battered old wingback, delivers precisely what they’re after. I remember selling a Chesterfield to a gentleman from St John’s Wood, and the scars became part of the charm. That’s the point with retro arm chairs. They flick through glossy catalogues, accent sofa but sooner or later they return. Mass production doesn’t care, whereas vintage lasts.

Every part of London tells a different story. Belgravia looks for tradition, with plush sofas. Brixton is bold, old fashioned armchair with funky fabrics. That’s the charm. I’ll tell you something else, accent chairs outlive their buyers. You don’t get that from a catalogue. I still knock on the wood for weight, and I know straight away. Old furniture lives. So when you’re tempted by the new, stop. Take on a classic wingback, and allow it to tell your story.