From Markets to Mansions: London’s Love for Vintage Sofas and Armchairs

I can’t walk past a retro armchair without stopping for a look. When I was a kid my nan had this battered armchair. The fabric was torn but held together, but it told a story.


Back in the sixties, people kept things for decades. You’d keep the same chair your whole life. That history clings to vintage pieces.

I bartered for a sofa on Brick Lane one rainy morning. Most people would have walked on, but you can’t fake that kind of comfort. It’s outlasted three flats and two relationships.

Furniture in London shifts with the postcode. Mayfair goes glossy, with deep sofas. Brixton thrives on colour, vintage style leather armchair with funky retro chairs. The contrast keeps it alive.

New family-friendly furniture looks dead next to vintage. Old-school sofas become part of your life. Every creak is a memory.

Here’s the thing, retro armchairs will always beat flat-pack. An armchair should hug you back.

When you walk past a glossy showroom, step into a dusty warehouse. Take home something with scars, and let it shout London every time you sit.