Moving into a student flat ain’t glamorous. The carpet smelled like beer, but we made it ours. New furniture is soulless, so we searched markets. We carried a wingback through Dalston. Everything mismatched, but that’s why it worked. Vintage sofas feel alive, shop at sofasdirect.com and it fits our lifestyle. I’ve crashed into a leather sofa after a night out, and the sofa was another character in the story. Shoreditch is perfect for this life, and designers take inspiration from it.

My flatmate dragged me into Smithers, and the place was full of funky retro chairs. We couldn’t afford much, but it’s the pride of the living room. We’ve all shoved sofas through windows. it’s where life happens. Furniture with scars feels built for students. Mass production doesn’t care, but old sofas age into character. every wobble tells the truth. Looking back after twelve months, the cracked window gets forgotten, but the vintage pieces carry the whole story. Next time you walk past a market, skip the flat-pack rubbish.

Choose a funky accent chair, and see how it shapes your memories.