When I moved to Shoreditch I had nothing but a mattress. The windows rattled in the wind, but we built it piece by piece. New furniture is soulless, so we bartered with old dealers. I spotted a funky armchair on Brick Lane. The colours clashed, but that’s what gave it soul. Vintage sofas feel alive, and we don’t need polish, we need real. I’ve hosted ten people on one sagging retro sofa, and the sofa was another character in the story.

Retro furniture feels natural here, and dealers live for it. My flatmate dragged me into Smithers, and everything felt alive, unique settee not plastic. we left with just one piece, but that chair still sits in the flat. Ask around and you’ll hear it. it’s how you build a home. Accent chairs don’t flinch when four people pile on. Modern stuff? Forget it, but old sofas age into character. every wobble tells the truth.

Once the parties are done, the stress disappears, but the mismatched set still makes you laugh. Next time you walk past a market, leave the glossy showrooms behind. Pick up a vintage armchair, and different styles of armchairs let it shout Shoreditch every time you sit.