Student living in East London is messy but fun. The carpet smelled like beer, but we filled it with life. Flat-pack breaks too quick, so we bartered with old dealers. Another dragged a chair from Camden. Nothing matched the walls, but that’s what made it home. Chairs with scars feel stronger, and we care more about story than gloss. I’ve balanced takeaway boxes on a mismatched chair, and the chairs became mates. Shoreditch is perfect for this life, and students rely on it.

We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, and the sofas looked like they belonged in films. We couldn’t afford much, but that chair still sits in the flat. We’ve all begged friends for lifts. it’s where life happens. Vintage pieces survive it. Mass production doesn’t care, but funky chairs grow with you. every dent becomes part different styles of armchairs the flat. After exams and chaos, the stress disappears, but the armchair stays in your mind. When you think furniture, forget the catalogue shine.

Take home something with scars, and make it part of your story.