Moving into a student flat ain’t glamorous. The windows rattled in the wind, traditional armchair but we built it piece by piece.

Flat-pack breaks too quick, so we begged, borrowed and carried. One mate found a sofa in Hackney. It felt like Shoreditch, but that’s what made it home.

Vintage sofas feel alive, and we care more about story than gloss. I’ve hosted ten people on one sagging retro sofa, and those seats carried us.

East London is built on mix and mess, and students rely on it. We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, and unusual chairs the vintage armchairs carried scars I loved. we were broke students, but everyone fights to sit in it.

Every student flat tells the same story. it’s half the fun. Armchairs don’t mind if you fall asleep in them.

Catalogue gloss falls apart fast, but real pieces stay alive. every wobble tells the truth.

By the end of the year, you don’t remember the kettle, but the leather armchair green stays in your mind.

When you think furniture, skip the flat-pack rubbish. Grab a retro sofa, and watch it age with you.