Retro Comforts In Shoreditch – A Student’s Tale

When I moved to Shoreditch I had nothing but a mattress. The kitchen had a dodgy kettle, but we dragged in whatever we could find. IKEA lasts a term at best, so we hunted retro. One mate found a sofa in Hackney. It looked like chaos, but that’s what made it ours. Old accent chairs carry memory, and we don’t need polish, we need real. I’ve fallen asleep in a battered contemporary leather armchair with a book, and every time it felt right. Retro furniture feels natural here, and designers take inspiration from it.

We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, and the vintage armchairs carried scars I loved. we left with just one piece, but it’s the pride of the living room. We’ve all dragged furniture through rain. It’s part of student life. Armchairs don’t mind if you fall asleep in them. Flat-pack won’t last a term, but old sofas age into character. every dent becomes part of the flat. By the end of the year, you don’t remember the kettle, but the armchair stays in your mind.

So if you’re moving to London, leave the glossy showrooms behind. Take home something with scars, and watch it age with you.