London Retro Grit: Armchairs And Sofas With Proper Character

Round here it ain’t about spotless gloss. Duck down Hackney Lane and you’ll see sofas with scars. The springs groan, but they carry weight.

In the seventies smoke-filled pubs, you didn’t buy stuff to bin it after a year. You’d work overtime for a proper armchair, and it’d stay with you. That’s what vintage means in London.

One afternoon I wandered, just nosing about. I saw a 1960s teak-leg accent chair. Some would laugh it off, but I dropped in and realised straight — this chair had history.

Markets still hold treasure. Brick Lane throw up retro gems. You need the bottle to haggle. I’ve clambered over dusty frames, but the payoff comes.

Every corner’s got its stamp. Kensington plays plush, with deep armchairs. Camden’s mad and messy, with funky armchairs. Dalston’s cheeky, and you’ll find wild fabrics that clash yet sing.

People make it what it is. Cockney dealers shouting prices. Everyone’s part of the scene. I’ve argued for hours over a price and bundled armchairs into cabs. That’s real furniture hunting.

Truth is, scars make it real. a chair’s part of your story. it sits through nights you can’t forget.

When you’re sniffing about, different styles of armchairs leave the plastic rubbish alone. Grab a retro armchair, and let it talk back.