First year in London was chaos. The flat looked more squat than home, but we built it piece by piece.
IKEA lasts a term at best, so we bartered with old dealers. I spotted a funky armchair on Brick Lane. It felt like Shoreditch, but that’s what made it real.
Funky retro seating has character, and it doesn’t matter if it’s scratched. I’ve crashed into a leather sofa after a night out, and those seats carried us.
Markets spill chairs onto the streets, and dealers live for it. We wandered past Smithers one Saturday, and retro accent chairs the place was full of funky retro chairs. we left with just one piece, but it’s survived three house parties and a flood.
We’ve all shoved sofas through windows. it’s how you build a home. Furniture with scars feels built for rentry.co students.
Flat-pack won’t last a term, but real pieces stay alive. every wobble tells the truth.
Once the parties are done, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, armchairs vintage design but the armchair stays in your mind.
If you find yourself in a Shoreditch flat, ignore the fake polish. Take home something with scars, and let it shout Shoreditch every time you sit.