Life in a student flat starts rough but gets colourful. The walls were bare, but we made it ours. Forget glossy showrooms, so we hunted retro. One mate found a sofa in Hackney. It looked like chaos, but that’s what made it home. Funky retro seating has character, and it doesn’t matter if it’s scratched. I’ve balanced takeaway boxes on a mismatched chair, and the furniture was part of the night. East London is built on mix fabric and leather couches mess, and Smithers down in Shoreditch knows it.

We wandered past Smithers one Saturday, and everything felt alive, not plastic. we were broke students, but it’s the pride of the living room. We’ve all dragged furniture through rain. it’s half the fun. Vintage pieces survive it. Mass production doesn’t care, but vintage carries weight. every wobble tells the truth. When you’re moving out, the dodgy landlord fades away, but that funky accent chair is legend. When you start student life, forget the catalogue shine.

Choose a funky accent chair, and let it shout Shoreditch every time you sit.