Moving into a student flat ain’t glamorous. The kitchen had a dodgy kettle, but we filled it with life.

IKEA lasts a term at best, so we searched markets. Someone even nabbed a table from outside a pub. Everything mismatched, but that’s why it worked.

Old accent chairs carry memory, 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.

Retro furniture feels natural here, and Smithers down in Shoreditch knows it. One afternoon I stumbled into Smithers, and everything felt alive, not plastic. we had to haggle, but it’s become the throne of the house.

We’ve all begged friends for lifts. It’s part of student life. Accent living room chairs and sofas don’t flinch when four people pile on.

Mass production doesn’t care, but retro lasts. every stain means another night.

Once the parties are done, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but the armchair stays in your mind.

When you think furniture, skip the flat-pack rubbish. Take home something with scars, and let it carry your student nights.