Retro Comforts In Shoreditch – A Student’s Tale

First year in London was chaos. The carpet smelled like beer, but we dragged in whatever we could find. New furniture is soulless, so we begged, borrowed and carried. I spotted a funky armchair on Brick Lane. It felt like Shoreditch, but that’s what made it ours. Retro armchairs have weight, and students get that instinctively. I’ve hosted ten people on one sagging retro sofa, and every time it felt right.

Every warehouse flat tells the same story, and students rely on it. I stopped by Smithers looking for nothing, and the vintage armchairs carried scars I loved. we had to haggle, but everyone fights to sit in it. We’ve all dragged furniture through rain. it’s where life happens. Armchairs don’t mind if you fall asleep in them. Mass production doesn’t care, but vintage carries weight. every dent becomes part of the flat. Once the parties are done, the cracked window gets forgotten, but the vintage pieces carry the whole story.

If you find yourself in a Shoreditch flat, leave the glossy showrooms behind. Make space for a classic seat, and make it part of your story.