Wander Around Camden Lock And You’ll Spot Vintage Wingbacks With Cracked Leather. They Ain’t Showroom Clean But That’s What Gives Them Life

From Markets to Mansions: London’s Love for Vintage Sofas and Armchairs I’ve always had a soft spot for old furniture. When I was a kid my nan had this battered armchair. The fabric was torn but held together, but it had heart. During the heyday of Soho, a sofa wasn’t just a sofa. Chairs lived longer than flats. You can feel it when you sit down. I once pulled a Chesterfield out of a warehouse in Hackney. The fabric was stained and faded, but the history spoke louder than the flaws.

Friends always fight to sit in it. You can tell the area by the chairs. Chelsea leans plush, with plush seating. Shoreditch stays messy, with industrial armchairs. Every corner tells a different story. New family-friendly furniture looks dead next to vintage. Accent chairs from another era last decades. They’re not perfect, but neither are we. Here’s the thing, retro wins because it’s real. A chair should hold your nights.

Before you grab a soulless bargain, wander a street full of second-hand unusual armchairs shops. Grab a vintage sofa, and watch it age alongside you.