Wander Around Camden Lock And You’ll Notice Vintage Wingbacks With Cracked Leather. They Ain’t Showroom Clean But That’s Their Story

London’s Retro Revival: Why Vintage Armchairs and Sofas Still Rule I can’t walk past a retro armchair without stopping for a look. Growing up, unique chairs there was a sofa in our house that had seen it all. It was worn, patched, and squeaky, but it felt alive. Back in the sixties, a sofa wasn’t just a sofa. You’d hand down sofas from parents to kids. It’s in the sag of the springs. I found a retro accent chair in a Dalston car boot. It weren’t pretty at first glance, but I knew straight away it had something.

Friends always fight to sit in it. custom furniture designs in London shifts with the postcode. Mayfair goes glossy, with deep sofas. Dalston keeps it cheeky, with upcycled seats. The clash gives it character. The catalogue stuff has no soul. Armchairs with scars last decades. They remind us life isn’t flawless. If you ask me straight, a battered sofa tells more truth than any showroom. Your seat should outlast the years. When you walk past a glossy showroom, wander a street full of second-hand shops.

Save a battered seat, and watch it age alongside you.