London’s Retro Revival: armchairs vintage design 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. The arms were shiny from years of elbows, but it felt alive. When the East End was full of voices, accent chairs antique a sofa wasn’t just a sofa. Families saved for months to buy one piece. It’s in the weight of the wood. I rescued a battered armchair from outside a shop in Peckham. The fabric was stained and faded, but the history spoke louder than the flaws.

That chair still sits in my flat. Furniture in London shifts with the postcode. Hampstead stays calm, with deep sofas. Dalston keeps it cheeky, with industrial armchairs. London wouldn’t be London without the variety. Modern flat-pack doesn’t hold a candle. Armchairs with scars age with dignity. Every stain has a story. At the end of the day, a battered sofa with accent chair tells more truth than any showroom. An armchair should hug you back. So next time you’re tempted by something new, step into a dusty warehouse.

Take home something with scars, and make it part of your story.