First year in London was chaos. The windows rattled in the wind, but we dragged in whatever we could find. Forget glossy showrooms, so we bartered with old dealers. One mate found a sofa in Hackney. The colours clashed, but that’s what made it home. Chairs with scars feel stronger, and students get that instinctively. I’ve watched half my flat pass out across two chairs, and the sofa was another character in the story.
Shoreditch is perfect for this life, and designers take inspiration from it. We wandered past Smithers one Saturday, and everything felt alive, not plastic. we had to haggle, but that chair still sits in the flat. We’ve all dragged furniture through rain. it’s where life happens. Furniture with scars feels built for students. Brand-new looks boring, but funky chairs grow with you. every creak is another laugh. When you’re moving out, you don’t remember the kettle, but the armchair stays in your mind.
When you start student life, skip the flat-pack rubbish. Pick up a vintage classic armchair designs, and see how it shapes your memories.