London’s Retro Revival: Why Vintage Armchairs and luxury sofas Still Rule There’s something about vintage pieces that grabs me. My first memory of proper furniture is my grandad’s wingback chair. It weren’t showroom-perfect, but it was part of us. When London was swinging, you didn’t buy throwaway chairs. You’d go second-hand instead of brand new. It’s in the sag of the springs. I found a retro accent chair in a Dalston car boot. The legs were wobbling, but the history spoke louder than the flaws.

It’s become part of my story. You can tell the area by the chairs. Mayfair goes glossy, contemporary leather armchair with buttoned wingbacks. Dalston keeps it cheeky, with industrial armchairs. The clash gives it character. New furniture looks dead next to vintage. Old-school sofas become part of your life. They carry scratches like tattoos. If you ask me straight, accent sofa a battered sofa tells more truth than any showroom. Your seat should outlast the years.

When you walk past a glossy showroom, stop and think of the markets. Grab a vintage sofa, and watch it age alongside you.