external frameLife in a student flat starts rough but gets colourful. The windows rattled in the wind, but we gave it soul with furniture. Forget glossy showrooms, so we hunted retro. One mate found a living room chair sofa in Hackney. It looked like chaos, but that’s what gave it soul. Vintage sofas feel alive, and it doesn’t matter if it’s scratched. I’ve fallen asleep in a battered armchair with a book, and every time it felt right. Markets spill chairs onto the streets, and dealers live for it.
One afternoon I stumbled into Smithers, and the place was full of funky retro chairs. We couldn’t afford much, but everyone fights to sit in it. Ask around and you’ll hear it. it’s what makes memories. Furniture with scars feels built for students. Modern stuff? Forget it, but real pieces stay alive. every dent becomes part of the flat. By the end of the year, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but the armchair stays in your mind. So if you’re moving to London, forget the catalogue shine.
Pick up a vintage armchair, and let it carry your student nights.