I’ve been in the trade man and boy for decades. Around these West End streets, buying is about more than comfort. Couples step through the door, and they all want a piece that speaks. A velvet seat with history, gives them that. There was a velvet sofa that went to a townhouse in Chelsea, and he told me years later it was still going strong. That’s the Mayfair way. People wander past the big chains, but eventually they realise.

Mass production doesn’t care, whereas retro lives on. Furniture mirrors the postcode. Kensington demands velvet, with velvet chairs. Shoreditch is playful, with retro mismatches. That’s what keeps us alive. I’ve learnt over years, the right piece will define a home. Flat-pack won’t do that. I still check the stitching for strength, and the real thing speaks. Old furniture lives. So when you’re tempted by the new, art deco style settees think again. Choose a funky accent unusual chair, and allow it to tell your story.