When I moved to Shoreditch I had nothing but a mattress. The walls were bare, but we built it piece by piece. Forget glossy showrooms, so we begged, borrowed and carried. Another dragged a chair from Camden. Everything mismatched, but that’s why it worked. Old accent chairs carry memory, and students get that instinctively. I’ve hosted ten people on one sagging retro sofa, and the sofa was another character in the story.

Shoreditch is perfect for this life, and Smithers down in Shoreditch knows it. We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, and the place was full of funky retro chairs. money was tight, but it’s survived three house parties and a flood. Every student flat tells the same story. it’s half the fun. Furniture with scars feels built for students. Brand-new looks boring, but old luxury sofas age into character. every creak is another laugh.

Looking back after twelve months, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but the armchair stays in your mind. When you start student life, skip the flat-pack rubbish. Choose a funky accent chair, and make it part of your story.