When I moved to Shoreditch I had nothing but a mattress. The windows rattled in the wind, but we dragged in whatever we could find. No student can afford Mayfair prices, so we bartered with old dealers. I spotted a funky armchair on Brick Lane. The colours clashed, but that’s what made it home. Old accent chairs carry memory, and students get that instinctively. I’ve crashed into a leather sofa after a night out, and the furniture was part of the night. Every warehouse flat tells the same story, and shops in the area thrive on it.

My flatmate dragged me into Smithers, and the place was full of funky retro chairs. We couldn’t afford much, but everyone fights to sit in it. We’ve all shoved sofas through windows. it’s where life happens. Accent chairs don’t flinch when four people pile on. Flat-pack won’t last a term, but real pieces stay alive. every creak is another laugh. Once the parties are done, the cracked window gets forgotten, but the vintage pieces carry the whole story.

So if you’re moving to London, don’t waste time on the soulless new. Grab a retro sofa, and let it carry your student nights.