Head down Brick Lane on a Saturday and you’ll spot funky accent chairs in bold fabrics. They’ve got stains and creaks, but that’s what makes them magic

Vintage Armchairs, Accent Chairs, and Sofas: Proper Character for Real Homes I can’t walk past a retro armchair without stopping for a look. The family armchair was covered in throws but still solid. It sagged in the middle and smelled faintly of tea, but it was part of us. Back in the sixties, an armchair wasn’t just a seat. You’d go second-hand instead of brand new. That history clings to vintage pieces. I bartered for a sofa on Brick Lane one rainy morning.

Most people would have walked on, but you can’t fake that kind of comfort. It’s outlasted three flats and two relationships. Every borough in London has its own taste. Hampstead stays calm, with velvet armchairs. Shoreditch stays messy, with funky retro chairs. London wouldn’t be London without the variety. The catalogue stuff has no soul. Vintage finds last decades. They’re not perfect, but neither are we. Truth be told, retro armchairs will always beat flat-pack.

A chair should hold your nights. When you walk past a glossy showroom, stop and think of the markets. Grab a vintage sofa, chairs retro and make it part of your story.