First year in London was chaos. The carpet smelled like beer, but we made it ours. Forget glossy showrooms, so we bartered with old dealers. One mate found a sofa in Hackney. It looked like chaos, but that’s what made it ours. Old accent chairs carry memory, and we care more about story than gloss. I’ve crashed into a leather sofa after a night out, and every time it felt right. East London is built on mix and mess, and designers take inspiration from it.

We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, and the place was full of funky retro chairs. we were broke students, but it’s become the throne of the house. Every student flat tells the same story. it’s where life happens. Accent chairs don’t flinch when four people pile on. Flat-pack won’t last a term, but funky chairs grow with you. every stain means another night. By the end of the year, the cracked window gets forgotten, but the mismatched set still makes you laugh.

Next time you walk past a market, statement sofas skip the flat-pack rubbish. Pick up a vintage armchair, and patterned accent chairs uk see how it shapes your memories.