From Markets to Mansions: London’s Love for Vintage Sofas and Armchairs There’s something about vintage pieces that grabs me. Growing up, there was a sofa in our house that had seen it all. The fabric was torn but held together, but it had heart. In the days of smoky pubs and jazz clubs, people kept things for decades. You’d keep the same chair your whole life. It’s in the weight of the wood. I bartered for a sofa on Brick Lane one rainy morning.

Most people would have walked on, but the history spoke louder than the flaws. That chair still sits in my flat. Furniture in London shifts with the postcode. Chelsea leans plush, with plush seating. Dalston keeps it cheeky, with industrial armchairs. London wouldn’t be London without the variety. New furniture looks dead next to vintage. Old-school sofas grow with you. They carry scratches like tattoos.

Truth be told, retro style armchair wins because it’s real. Your seat should outlast the years. So next time you’re tempted by something new, go dig through a car boot. Grab a vintage sofa, and make it part of your story.