Moving into a student flat ain’t glamorous. The walls were bare, but we dragged in whatever we could find. Forget glossy showrooms, so we grabbed second-hand. One mate found a sofa in Hackney. Nothing matched the walls, but that’s why it worked. Old accent unusual chairs carry memory, and it doesn’t matter if it’s scratched. I’ve hosted ten people on one sagging retro sofa, and those seats carried us. East London is built on mix and mess, retro style armchair and dealers live for it.

One afternoon I stumbled into Smithers, and the place was full of funky retro chairs. we were broke students, but it’s the pride of the living room. We’ve all begged friends for lifts. it’s how you build a home. Armchairs don’t mind if you fall asleep in them. Brand-new looks boring, but real pieces stay alive. Every scratch adds more story. Once the parties are done, the stress disappears, statement sofas but that funky accent chair is legend.

If you find yourself in a Shoreditch flat, forget the catalogue shine. Grab a retro sofa, and see how it shapes your memories.