Why Retro Furniture Still Beats Flat-Pack in London There’s something about vintage style leather armchair pieces that grabs me. Growing up, there was a sofa in our house that had seen it all. It was worn, patched, and squeaky, but it told a story. Back in the sixties, an armchair wasn’t just a seat. You’d keep the same chair your whole life. It’s in the creak when you shift. I bartered for a sofa on Brick Lane one rainy morning. The fabric was stained and faded, but I knew straight away it had something.

It’s become part of my story. Furniture in London shifts with the postcode. Belgravia keeps it polished, with buttoned wingbacks. Hackney keeps it raw, with industrial armchairs. The clash gives it character. Mass-produced pieces fade in months. Retro pieces get better with years. Every creak is a memory. If you ask me straight, I’ll pick a vintage sofa over new every time. Your seat should outlast the years. So next time you’re tempted by something new, wander a street full of second-hand shops.

Take home something with scars, and watch it age alongside you.