London’s Retro Revival: Why Vintage Armchairs and Sofas Still Rule There’s something about vintage pieces that grabs me. When I was a kid my nan had this battered armchair. It sagged in the middle and smelled faintly of tea, but it told a story. Back in the sixties, an armchair wasn’t just a seat. You’d keep the same chair your whole life. It’s in the sag of the springs. I found a retro accent chair in a Dalston car boot.

Some would’ve laughed at the state of it, but I knew straight away it had something. It’s become part of my story. Every borough in London has its own taste. Hampstead stays calm, with buttoned wingbacks. Shoreditch stays messy, with mismatched sofas. The clash gives it character. Showroom sofas don’t talk back. Accent chairs from another era get better with years. They carry scratches like tattoos.

At the end of the day, family-friendly furniture retro armchairs will always beat flat-pack. An armchair should hug you back. Before you grab a soulless bargain, stop and vintage accent chair think of the markets. Take home something with scars, and let it grow with you.