Lose yourself in Deptford Market and you’ll see retro sofas piled high. They’re rough round the edges, but that’s the charm

Vintage Armchairs, Accent Chairs, and Sofas: Proper Character for Real Homes There’s something about vintage pieces that grabs me. My first memory of proper furniture is my grandad’s wingback chair. It weren’t showroom-perfect, but it felt alive. In the days of smoky pubs and jazz clubs, people kept things for decades. You’d hand down sofas from parents to kids. It’s in the sag of the springs. I rescued a battered armchair from outside a shop in Peckham. Most people would have walked on, but as soon as I sat down it felt right.

Friends always fight to sit in it. You can tell the area by the chairs. Hampstead stays calm, with buttoned wingbacks. Hackney keeps it raw, with upcycled seats. London wouldn’t be London without the variety. New family-friendly furniture looks dead next to vintage. Retro pieces age with dignity. Every creak is a memory. At the end of the day, retro wins because it’s real. A chair should hold your nights. Next time you’re thinking of flat-pack, retro accent chairs go dig through a car boot. Choose a funky accent chair, and see how it shapes your nights.