Vintage classic armchairs, Accent Chairs, and Sofas: Proper Character for Real Homes Retro chairs and sofas have been part of my life for years. My first memory of proper furniture is my grandad’s wingback chair. It sagged in the middle and smelled faintly of tea, but it was part of us. In the days of smoky pubs and jazz clubs, a sofa wasn’t just a sofa. Chairs lived longer than flats. It’s in the weight of the wood. I dragged a velvet armchair home from Camden.

Some would’ve laughed at the state of it, leather armchair green but the weight told me it was the real deal. Friends always fight to sit in it. You can tell the area by the chairs. Hampstead stays calm, with buttoned wingbacks. Camden loves the clash, quirky chairs with funky retro chairs. It’s the mix that makes it all work. Mass-produced pieces fade in months. Old-school sofas become part of your life. Every creak is a memory. Truth be told, a battered sofa tells more truth than any showroom.

A sofa should tell your story. So next time you’re tempted by something new, take a look at what’s already lived. Take home something with scars, and let it shout London every time you sit.