My world has always been the shop floor, the showroom, the warehouse. Around these West End streets, a sofa is never just a sofa.

Old families from Belgravia and Kensington, and they all want a piece that speaks. A retro armchair, never fails to speak up.

A wingback ended up in a Belgravia study, and the sofa aged but never gave way. That’s what vintage means.

They look for convenience, but at the end they admit. Mass production doesn’t care, whereas classic sofas grow finer.

Furniture mirrors the postcode. Chelsea wants polish, with deep seats. Dalston experimental, with colourful sofas. That’s the charm.

I’ll tell you something else, accent chairs outlive their buyers. Modern factory pieces can’t compete.

I still sit to see how it feels, and the right piece never lies. Vintage has truth.

So when you’re tempted by the new, stop. Choose a funky accent chair unusual, and watch it age gracefully.