Furniture has been my bread and butter since the fifties. Amongst the squares and crescents, customers aren’t simply shopping for wood and fabric. Old families from Belgravia and Kensington, and unusual accent chairs they’re all searching for the same thing. A battered old wingback, gives them that. One battered club chair was claimed for a Notting Hill film set, and it carried his family through generations. That’s the point with retro.

They waste time with flat-pack, but sooner or later they return. Modern things break, whereas old chairs carry life. This city speaks through its homes. Belgravia looks for tradition, with buttoned wingbacks. Camden stays chaotic, high-end living room sets with funky fabrics. That’s the reality. End of the day, the right piece will define a home. Glossy showrooms don’t sell that. I still knock on the wood for weight, and the real thing speaks. History sits with you.

When a showroom tempts you, think again. Choose a funky accent chair, and allow it to tell your story.