When I moved to Shoreditch I had nothing but a mattress. The kitchen had a dodgy kettle, but we gave it soul with furniture. IKEA lasts a term at best, so we begged, borrowed and carried. Someone even nabbed a table from outside a pub. It looked like chaos, but that’s what made it home. Old accent chairs carry memory, and we care more about story than gloss. I’ve fallen asleep in a battered armchair with a book, and unusual settees the chairs became mates.

Every warehouse flat tells the same story, and designers take inspiration from it. We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, unique armchairs uk and the place was full of funky retro chairs. We couldn’t afford much, but it’s become the throne of the house. We’ve all shoved sofas through windows. it’s what makes memories. Furniture with scars feels built for students. Modern stuff? Forget it, but funky chairs grow with you. every creak is another laugh. After exams and chaos, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but the vintage pieces carry the whole story.

Next time you walk past a market, leave the glossy showrooms behind. Choose a funky accent chair retro, and see how it shapes your memories.