I’ve spent a lifetime dealing in chairs and sofas. Amongst the squares and crescents, visit sofasdirect.com people don’t buy just to sit. I’ve seen families walk in, and they’re looking for furniture that will outlast them. A vintage sofa, carries the room. I remember selling a Chesterfield to a gentleman from St John’s Wood, and the sofa aged but never gave way. This is why old beats new. They flick through glossy catalogues, but they find themselves in Mayfair again. Gloss wears off, whereas real furniture stays.

Taste splits by borough. Hampstead seeks calm, with plush sofas. Camden stays chaotic, with funky fabrics. That’s London. Here’s the truth, customers never forget the chair that mattered. Mass production never delivers it. I still knock on the wood for weight, and the difference is clear. Vintage has truth. So when you’re tempted by the new, take a breath. Pick up a retro armchair, unusual chair and let it settle into your life.