Mayfair Dealer’s Tale: The Truth About Vintage Armchairs

Furniture has been my bread and butter since the fifties. Around these West End streets, customers aren’t simply shopping for wood and fabric. I’ve seen families walk in, and they all ask for quality. A retro armchair, delivers precisely what they’re after. A wingback ended up in a Belgravia study, and he told me years later it was still going strong. This is why old beats new. They flick through glossy catalogues, but sooner or later they return.

Fabric frays fast, whereas vintage lasts. Taste splits by borough. Chelsea wants polish, with plush sofas. Hackney raw, with colourful sofas. That’s the reality. I’ve learnt over years, customers never forget the chair that mattered. You don’t get that from a catalogue. I still check the stitching for strength, and the right piece never lies. History sits with you. When a showroom tempts you, step back. Take on a classic wingback, unusual accent chairs and see how it shapes your home.