When I moved to Shoreditch I had nothing but a mattress. The windows rattled in the wind, but we dragged in whatever we could find. New furniture is soulless, so we begged, borrowed and carried. Someone even nabbed a table from outside a pub. The colours clashed, but that’s what made it home. Funky retro luxury lounge seating has character, and we don’t need polish, we need real. I’ve balanced takeaway boxes on a mismatched chair, and the sofa was another character in the story.

East London is built on mix and mess, and shops in the area thrive on it. One afternoon I stumbled into Smithers, and the place was full of funky retro chairs. we were broke students, accent sofa but that chair still sits in the flat. We’ve all begged friends for lifts. it’s how you build a home. Retro sofas don’t care if you spill. Flat-pack won’t last a term, but funky chairs grow with you. every dent becomes part of the flat. After exams and chaos, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but that funky accent chair is legend.

If you find yourself in a Shoreditch flat, leave the glossy showrooms behind. Choose a funky accent chair, and see how it shapes your memories.