My world has always been the shop floor, the showroom, the warehouse. Here in Mayfair, buying is about more than comfort. Old families from Belgravia and Kensington, www.sofasdirect.com and they all want character. A velvet seat with history, carries the room. I remember selling a Chesterfield to a gentleman from St John’s Wood, and the scars became part of the charm. That’s what endures. They flick through glossy catalogues, but they always come back.

Cheap wood snaps, whereas classic sofas grow finer. Furniture mirrors the postcode. Hampstead seeks calm, with deep seats. Hackney raw, with colourful sofas. That’s the mix. End of the day, an armchair becomes memory. Mass production never delivers it. I still check the stitching for strength, and the truth tells itself. History sits with you. Next time you flick through a catalogue, stop. Pick up a retro armchair, and see how it shapes your home.