Wander around Camden Lock and you’ll stumble on retro sofas piled high. They’re marked and scarred, but that’s what gives them life

Retro Sofas and Funky Chairs – A Real London Story There’s something about vintage pieces that grabs me. We had an old floral sofa that was patched and sagging. The arms were shiny from years of elbows, leather armchair green but it told a story. During the heyday of Soho, furniture meant something. Families saved for armchair retro months to buy one piece. You can feel it when you sit down. I dragged a velvet armchair comfortable home furniture from Camden. Some would’ve laughed at the state of it, but you can’t fake that kind of comfort.

It’s carried me through late nights and lazy Sundays. Furniture in London shifts with the postcode. Hampstead stays calm, with grand accent chairs. Dalston keeps it cheeky, with industrial armchairs. It’s the mix that makes it all work. Modern flat-pack doesn’t hold a candle. Accent chairs from another era get better with years. They carry scratches like tattoos. Here’s the thing, a battered sofa tells more truth than any showroom. An armchair should hug you back.

If you’re scrolling catalogue sites, stop and think of the markets. Grab a vintage sofa, and let it shout London every time you sit.