Life in a student flat starts rough but gets colourful. The windows rattled in the wind, but we made it ours. IKEA lasts a term at best, so we searched markets. We carried a wingback through Dalston. It felt like Shoreditch, but that’s what made it home. Old accent chairs carry memory, and it doesn’t matter if it’s scratched. I’ve balanced takeaway boxes on a mismatched chair, and the furniture was part of the night. Markets spill chairs onto the streets, and designers take inspiration from it.

We wandered past Smithers one Saturday, and the sofas looked like they belonged in films. we were broke students, armchairs vintage design but it’s survived three house parties and a flood. We’ve all dragged furniture through rain. it’s how you build a home. statement armchairs don’t mind if you fall asleep in them. Mass production doesn’t care, but real pieces stay alive. every dent becomes part of the flat. Looking back after twelve months, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but that funky accent chair is legend.

Next time you walk past a market, ignore the fake polish. Pick up a vintage armchair, and see how it shapes your memories.