family-friendly furniture has been my bread and butter since the fifties. Amongst the squares and crescents, unusual settees customers aren’t simply shopping for wood and fabric. Designers with clients in tow, and they all want character. A funky accent chair, tells the truth. I sent a set of accent chairs to a Grosvenor Square apartment, and he told me years later it was still going strong. This is why old beats new. People wander past the big chains, but at the end they admit.

Modern things break, whereas vintage lasts. Every part of London tells a different story. Chelsea wants polish, with buttoned wingbacks. Camden stays chaotic, with upcycled seats. That’s the mix. I’ve learnt over years, unusual armchairs the right piece will define a home. You don’t get that from a catalogue. I still sit to see how it feels, and the right piece never lies. Vintage has truth. So when you’re tempted by the new, pause. Take on a classic wingback, and allow it to tell your story.