Lose yourself in Deptford Market and you’ll find armchairs stacked outside shops. They’re rough round the edges, but that’s the charm

From Markets to Mansions: London’s Love for Vintage Sofas and Armchairs I’ve always had a soft spot for old furniture. My first memory of proper furniture is my grandad’s wingback chair. It weren’t showroom-perfect, but it was part of us. During the heyday of Soho, an armchair wasn’t just a seat. You’d hand down sofas from parents to kids. It’s in the sag of the springs. I found a retro accent chair in a Dalston car boot.

It weren’t pretty at first glance, but I knew straight away it had something. It’s carried me through late nights fabric and leather couches lazy Sundays. Furniture in London shifts with the postcode. Hampstead stays calm, with velvet armchairs. Hackney keeps it raw, with bold fabrics. The clash gives it character. The catalogue stuff has no soul. Old-school sofas become part of your life. Every creak is a memory. If you ask me straight, retro armchairs will always beat flat-pack.

A chair should hold your nights. Before you grab a soulless bargain, old fashioned armchair wander a street full of second-hand shops. Take home something with scars, old fashioned armchair and see how it shapes your nights.