In spite of our tendency to shop for everything online, scouring for treasures at one of the many vintage furniture shops in London, is a joy unmatched by its digital equivalent. There’s that kid-in-a-candy-store high on entering an Aladdin’s cave, a possible encounter with a unique piece and an opportunity to salvage a piece of history.
Well, that’s all very romantic – I hear you cry, but finding the perfect one-off vintage item with the exact dimensions, in good condition, at the right price – isn’t that like searching for a slightly rusty needle in a haystack?
Looking at stylish London homes filled with vintage finds, you wonder how easy they were to come by. Did the homeowner really just stumble over that beautiful mid-century kitchen chair in a nearby skip one sunny weekend in Dalston? If you’re not in the habit of shopping for vintage, it might seem like off-the-shelf is the easier option.
But don’t be discouraged. London boasts a plethora of shops selling unique vintage and antique homeware at every turn – for every budget. You just need to know where to find them.
For all the Londoners out there, here’s a comprehensive guide to some of the best places to shop for vintage furniture and homeware, in and around the capital.
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Discover vintage furniture shops in:
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Vintage Furniture Shops in North London
Gonnermann
highgate
Gonnermann is an established North London vintage furniture store specialising in Scandinavian and British 20th-century designs. Julian Gonnermann is a third-generation maestro of antiques who from the age of 10, was tagging along with his grandmother to country auctions.
Gonnermann, 408-410 Archway Rd, London, N6 5AT
Opening times
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Committee of Taste
Stoke Newington
Pared back, considered and with ‘space to breathe’, Committee of Taste does what it says on the tin. They describe their curated catalogue of vintage treasures as focusing on British utility, mid-century furniture and the juxtaposition of modernist and antique.
Committee of Taste 3A Evering Road, Stoke Newington, London N16 7QA
Opening times
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Vintage Furniture Shops in East London
The Peanut Vendor
Bow
The Peanut Vendor was founded in 2008, a designer vintage furniture shop specialising in 20th-century objects and art. Style influences include mid-century, Bauhaus, Art Deco, Hollywood Regency and industrial schools of design. All of their stock is also available to hire.
The Peanut Vendor Ltd, 6 Gunmakers Lane, Bow, E3 5GG
Opening times (by appointment only)
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Chase & Sorensen
hackney downs
Come to Chase & Sorensen for an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary furniture, lighting, ceramics and paintings too, sourced directly from Scandinavia. Many of their vintage furniture pieces are sensitively restored, upholstered and ready for a new home – maybe yours?
Chase & Sorensen, 238B Dalston Lane, London, E8 1LQ
Opening times
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M. Kardana
Hoxton
Enter the M. Kardana gallery for extraordinary one-of-a-kind pieces from the 20th-century. Works of art, furniture and sculpture span Art Deco, 1950s Brutalism, through to collectable pieces from the 1990s.
M. Kardana, 188A Hackney Road, London E2 7QL
Opening times (by appointment only)
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B Southgate
Columbia Road
Ben Southgate’s shop can be found in the heart of East London’s charming Columbia Road, where it’s been trading since 2003. His stock ranges from large-scale storage pieces through to armchairs and small desk lamps. Pieces typically date from 1900 to 1950 and encompass a diverse mix of useful, beautiful and quirky things for the home.
B Southgate, 4 The Courtyard, Ezra Street London E2 7RH
Opening times
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Two Columbia Road
Shoreditch
Established in 1995, Two Columbia Road carries collectable furniture and art from Scandinavia, Europe, and North America. They specialise in sourcing pristine original pieces by Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Arne Vodder, Joe Colombo, Ettore Sottsass, Charles Eames, Poul Kjaerholm and Cees Braakman along with an impressive selection of artworks.
Two Columbia Road, 2 Columbia Road, London E2 7NN
Opening times
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Archive Furniture
Clapton
The Archive Furniture catalogue includes a great selection of Danish leather sofas, vintage chairs, tables, storage, beds and lighting from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. They also offer a restoration service, if you have a piece that needs a little revamp.
Archive Furniture Paradise Works, Unit 5, 142 Lea Bridge Road, London E5 9RB
Opening times
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EBTD
WALTHAMSTOW
EBTD is a north-east London vintage furniture store, located in a former mechanics garage. The cool mint-green storefront alludes to a trend-led curated selection of late 20th-century design from big Italian furniture designers and some Scandi ones too.
EBTD, 70, Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17 4PG
Opening times
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Aelfred
Hackney wick
Aelfred is a sizeable East London warehouse packed with vintage Scandi homewares sourced from Denmark. Rather than focusing on designer names, visitors are encouraged to come and connect with the pieces themselves. You’ll find second-hand furniture, cutlery, antiques, vases, accessories or glassware, at prices designed to match the high street.
Aelfred, Unit 2B, Autumn Yard, 39 Autumn St, Bow, London E3 2TT
Opening times
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Vintage Furniture Shops in South London
LASSCO
Vauxhall
LASSCO, aka ‘London Architectural Salvage & Supply Co’ have been rescuing elements of buildings monumental and residential, for decades. At this Grade ll* Georgian mansion, you’ll find the finest relics of olde London, sourced from attics, outhouses, demolitions and scrap yards. Their vast catalogue boasts antique fireplaces, bookcases, garden ornaments, colonnades and pilasters, through to baths, sanitary ware, retro curiosities, doors, chandeliers, etched mirrors, old prints and journals… to name a few. And be sure not to miss the stunning chandelier bedecked Brunswick House Restaurant.
LASSCO Brunswick House, 30 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2LG
Opening times
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Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern
Crystal Palace
This vast antiques centre invites you to explore pieces from the Georgian, Victorian, Art Deco, and mid-century periods, courtesy of twenty different dealers, spread across four floors of a former Victorian textile warehouse. Looking for the perfect piece for a photoshoot? Many of these items are available for hire, too.
Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern, Imperial House, Jasper Road, London SE19 1SG
Opening times
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Bleu Furniture
Herne Hill
Since 1996, Bleu Furniture, aka ‘Morbleu’ has rocked the vintage scene with 20th-century designs, industrial furniture and vintage African masks and decorative art. You may know antique dealer, Moses Otunla from the BBC series The Bidding Room and here you’ll find his unique collection of hand-picked treasures, sourced from around the globe.
Bleu Furniture, 135 Dulwich Road, London SE24 ONG
Opening times
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Scene by Chloe
Crystal palace
Following her role as a luxury fashion buyer, Chloe embarked on her dream of launching her own antiques emporium. Now, from her Anerley showroom, she sells vintage furniture and eclectic design pieces, which can also be hired for shoots and events.
Scene by Chloe, Unit 118, Anerley Works, 183A Anerley Road, SE20 8EF
Opening times (by appointment only)
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Vintique
PECKHAM
Vintique offers oodles of vintage mid-century and retro pieces to suit any budget. Pick up a vintage G Plan bureau, a record cabinet, or a boomerang coffee table, all in the heart of trendy Peckham.
Vintique, Unit 2c, Copeland Park, Peckham, London, SE15 3SN
Opening times
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Vintage Furniture Shops in West London
367 Portobello Road
NOTTING HILL
“Where the riches of ages are stowed”, uncover mid-century furniture by Ercol, Rodney Kinsman, Thonet and Alvar Aalto at 367 Portobello Road. Given the history around this famous London street, this treasure trove of vintage furniture surrounded by art and ephemera in cheerful pops of colour will be hard to resist.
367 Portobello Road, 367 Portobello Road, London W10 5SG
Opening times
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The Old Cinema
Chiswick
Originally an Edwardian picture palace, The Old Cinema had its curtains drawn in 1934. During WWII, it found a new purpose storing parachutes. Then, in 1952, it made a grand comeback as London’s only antique, vintage, and retro department store. Today, this 10,000 square foot space is home to a collective of antiques dealers, decorators, designers, artisans, and jewellers. As a result, you’ll see an eclectic mix of everything here, be it kitsch Americana, Mad Men-style rosewood, hardcore industrial, Asian arts and French decadence.
The Old Cinema, 160 Chiswick High Road, London W4 1PR
Opening times
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Retrouvius
Kensal Green
Reclamation experts at Retrouvius have an ever-changing catalogue of salvaged and vintage homeware. In addition to the upcycling wizardry of their interior design studio, they sell reclaimed tropical hardwoods, doors, panelling, vintage rugs, lighting, furniture, and lots in between. They’ll throw in a few surprises too – what they describe as their mad and quirky pieces, “Some things that no-one else wanted and we took pity on, and also very desirable pieces that we had to fight for.”
Retrouvius, 1016 Harrow Road, Kensal Green, London NW10 5NS
Opening times
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Tips for visiting vintage furniture shops in London
- Many vintage homeware shops will give you an idea of what they stock on their website or social media accounts. Check them out to get a head start, before your visit.
- Note down important dimensions, not only for the space you’re aiming to fill, but all the doorways you’ve got to pass through.
- Consider restoration potential. It may not be perfect right now, but you could breathe new life into it by hiring a furniture repair specialist.
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This list is so helpful! Thank you!