Moving into a student flat ain’t glamorous. The walls were bare, but we dragged in whatever we could find. No student can afford Mayfair prices, so we grabbed second-hand. Someone even nabbed a table from outside a pub. Nothing matched the walls, but that’s what made it ours. Retro armchairs have weight, chairs for living room leather and it doesn’t matter if it’s scratched. I’ve hosted ten people on one sagging retro sofa, and those seats carried us. Every warehouse flat tells the same story, and shops in the area thrive on it.

My flatmate dragged me into Smithers, vintage accent chair and the place was full of funky retro chairs. money was tight, but it’s survived three house parties and shop at sofasdirect.com a flood. Every student flat tells the same story. it’s what makes memories. Accent chairs don’t flinch when four people pile on. Flat-pack won’t last a term, but old sofas age into character. every dent becomes part of the flat. By the end of the year, the cracked window gets forgotten, but the mismatched set still makes you laugh.

If you find yourself in a Shoreditch flat, ignore the fake polish. Pick up a vintage armchair, and see how it shapes your memories.