Life in a student flat starts rough but gets colourful. The flat looked more squat than home, but we gave it soul with furniture. IKEA lasts a term at best, so we grabbed second-hand. Another dragged a chair from Camden. It looked like chaos, but that’s what made it real. Chairs with scars feel stronger, and it doesn’t matter if it’s scratched. I’ve watched half my flat pass out across two chairs, and the furniture was part of the night.

Retro furniture feels natural here, and shops in the area thrive on it. We found ourselves in Smithers showroom, and everything felt alive, not plastic. We couldn’t afford much, but everyone fights to sit in it. Every student flat tells the same story. it’s how you build a home. Retro sofas don’t care if you spill. Catalogue gloss falls apart fast, but real pieces stay alive. Every scratch adds more story. After exams and chaos, the broken toaster doesn’t matter, but the armchair stays in your mind.

When you start student life, forget the catalogue shine. Make space for a classic seat, and ss13.fun make it part of your story.