Student living in East London is messy but fun. The flat looked more squat than home, but we dragged in whatever we could find. IKEA lasts a term at best, retro arm chairs so we begged, borrowed and carried. Another dragged a chair from Camden. It felt like Shoreditch, but that’s what made it ours. Retro armchairs have weight, and we don’t need polish, we need real. I’ve fallen asleep in a battered armchair with a book, and every time it felt right.

Markets spill chairs onto the streets, and students rely on it. My flatmate dragged me into Smithers, and the sofas and armchairs uk looked like they belonged in films. money was tight, but it’s survived three house parties and a flood. We’ve all begged friends for lifts. it’s where life happens. Armchairs don’t mind if you fall asleep in them. Modern stuff? Forget it, but retro lasts. Every scratch adds more story.

By the end of the year, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but the vintage pieces carry the whole story. If you find yourself in a Shoreditch flat, forget the catalogue shine. Pick up a vintage armchair, and make it part of your story.