Student living in East London is messy but fun. The kitchen had a dodgy kettle, but we built it piece by piece. IKEA lasts a term at best, so we grabbed second-hand. We carried a wingback through Dalston. Everything mismatched, but that’s what gave it soul. Old patterned accent chairs uk chairs carry memory, and we don’t need polish, we need real. I’ve fallen asleep in a battered armchair with a book, and those seats carried us. Markets spill chairs onto the streets, and Smithers down in Shoreditch knows it.

We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, and everything felt alive, not plastic. we had to haggle, but everyone fights to sit in it. We’ve all begged friends for lifts. it’s half the fun. Retro sofas don’t care if you spill. Mass production doesn’t care, but real pieces stay alive. every creak is another laugh. When you’re moving out, you don’t remember the kettle, but you remember the sofa. If you find yourself in a Shoreditch flat, don’t waste time on the soulless new.

Choose a funky accent chair, and watch it age with you.