There is something extra exciting about shopping for homeware at an independently run business. While the British capital's legendary department stores — Liberty London, Selfridges, Harrods, Heal's, you name it — might offer a more straightforward journey to uncovering your next décor standouts, the best furniture shops in London are those that, although harder to find, put the human, and inherently subjective, essence of interior design back into the game.
Luckily for you, the Big Smoke isn't only a sought-after destination for people interested in sojourning in one of the best London hotels — it also boasts a thriving, and growing, home furnishings subculture made of art, objects, and design enthusiasts willing to share the tricks of the trade — or, at least, their best finds.
Through their imaginatively curated collections, the founders of these London furniture shops infuse the design scene with multidisciplinary, continent-spanning, and time-traveling inspiration, continually incorporating new styles, trends, and design ideas as they emerge. These are the destinations you need to know about.
1. The New Craftmaker
67 Pimlico Rd, London SW1W 8NE, UK
Launched by co-founders Mark Henderson, Catherine Lock, and Natalie Melton in 2012, and originally known as The New Craftsmen, The New Craftmaker combines their diverse backgrounds into an ode to British artisanry by bridging the gap between customers and the stories, materials, and artistic processes that brought their purchases to life. Rising at the intersection between tradition and innovation, this South West London-based gallery and showroom aims to represent the best of English design through a wide-ranging selection of handmade pieces — from wooden baskets, glass, and ceramic artifacts to cabinets and lighting — united by an organic yet playful and inventive feel.
Shop all of The New Craftmaker's products here.
2. Mint
3-5 Duke St, London W1U 3ED, UK
The brainchild of owner and founder Lina Kanafani, who set up shop in central London in 1998, where she remains to this day, Mint Gallery is a platform born to spotlight the most innovative manifestations of contemporary design — whether conceived by acclaimed or emerging names from the international creative scene. Looking at artistic cross-pollination, sustainability, and functionality as its founding principles and ultimate goals, the location distinguishes itself for its boundary-pushing public program of exhibitions, often scheduled to coincide with pivotal events such as London Craft Week and the London Design Festival, and its dynamic, whimsical curation of home furnishings, spanning seating, storage, tables, lighting, textiles, sofas, wall art, and outdoor pieces.
Shop all of Mint's products here.
3. Vantage Living
For all sales inquiries contact sales@vantagelivinguk.com
Many of the best furniture shops in London included in this edit are places I first stumbled upon on Instagram; Vantage Living is one of them. Launched by Katie Ridges in 2020, this online design haven emphasizes the reciprocal relationship and legacy that bind modern design to classic craftsmanship through high-end, responsibly sourced materials and furniture that convey a story. Setting itself apart from large-scale, 'fast' homeware production, the brand seeks to raise awareness of the importance of establishing deeper, long-term connections with the objects, home accessories, and furnishings that outline our domestic spaces, contributing to the shift towards more sustainable living. At the minute, I am considering buying its wrought iron and rattan French Sun Metalwork Lamp and the ethereal Round Wavy Mirror, though each of the store's gems, straddling lighting, furniture, ceramics, and homewares, is bound to catch every design lover's attention.
Shop all of Vantage Living's products here.
Price: $252.00 (Shade not Included)
Price: $424.43
4. twentytwentyone
274-275 Upper St, London N1 2UA, UK
You know a store is one of the best furniture shops in London when, casually strolling past its front door, you can't help but make your way through the entryway. And that was the case with renowned design hub twentytwentyone: first established by Simon Alderson and Tony Cunningham in 1996, there's a reason why this furniture, lighting, and accessories reseller, specialized in modern pieces marrying functionality with strong aesthetic appeal, has outdone its competitors for this long. Characterized by a hybrid nature, Alderson and Cunningham's forward-thinking curation of homeware isn't simply shoppable, but it is also put center and front in the platform's genre-bending exhibition program — showcasing the design geniuses of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Comprising anything from Isamu Noguchi ever-atmospheric paper lanterns and Artemide's 'mushroom' table lamps (both currently on sale) and a whole fantastical world of pocket-size, retro options, I find their lighting section to be the most awe-inspiring I have ever come across in London, and one certainly worth diving into.
Shop all of twentytentyone's products here.
Material: Handmade Washi Paper and Bamboo Ribbing. Metal Frame
Price: $280.72 (was $330.59)
Material: Recycled Postconsumer Waste, Four-Legged Braced Wire Base, Two Wooden Rockers with Clear Varnish
Price: $747.58
Material: Shade Made From Die Cut ECOPET® (Recycled PET Bottles, 140g/sqm). Frame in Varnished Beech with TPE Coral Red Rubber Feet. Transparent PP Cord Set
Price: $86.68 (was $102.93)
5. Passé The Store
40 Martell Rd, London, SE21 8EN, UK. Visits are by appointment only
I was lucky enough to discover Passé The Store — and treasure a free tote bag courtesy of its founder, Dani Hides — on one of its pop-up appearances at the main crossroads of my South East London neighborhood, Brockley, sometime last year (photographed above). Even from outside, it was impossible not to notice the stunning curation of wall art, lighting, seating, homewares, and eccentric rarities inhabiting the space, whose year-round warehouse can be found in the nearby West Dulwich. With an eye for warmly hued, naturally crafted vintage and antique furniture and objects, Passé is one of the chicest décor boutiques on my radar, and hands-down one of the best furniture shops in London. Interpreted through Hides' fashion background, each of its offerings appears suspended between past and future, bringing something new to the table and into the home. On top of browsing the brand's own collection, a visit to Passé will also introduce you to the work of a number of local artisans; a testament to the label's attention to, and support of, the London arts and crafts community. I am personally obsessed with its painting collection.
Shop all of Passé The Store's products here.
Size: 25.98 in x 14.56 in
Price: $441.81
Material: 29.52 in x 17.32 in
Price: $233.90 (was $311.86)
6. Spazio Leone
Hackney Downs Studios, 17 Amhurst Terrace, Lower Clapton, London E8 2BT, UK
As I said in the introduction to this roundup of the best furniture shops in London, when someone puts their heart into something, particularly design, you can feel it, and Setting Up Shop protagonist Spazio Leone — the Hackney Wick vintage furniture showroom and passion project of Neapolitan-born, London-based creative Gennaro Leone — proves that. Envisioned as an ever-evolving space dedicated to cult design masters and burgeoning talents alike, this multidisciplinary platform doesn't just source the best of mid-century modern furniture and contemporary homewares and collectibles, but it also lends its stage to an array of personalities covering the breadth of today's artistic scene; from culinary disruptors and legendary designers to fashion and culture trailblazers. Pop your head in at different times during the year, and you'll be met with a completely different presentation of items, though all sharing a shape and material-informed, tangibly unique understanding of what design is.
For all visit and sales inquiries contact hi@spazioleone.com.
7. Viaduct
1-10 Summers St, London EC1R 5BD, UK
Sited in the heart of London's design district in Clerkenwell, Viaduct is a contemporary furniture shop bringing a stylishly curated exploration of some of 1he world's leading designers and brands to the British capital. Having opened its doors to the public in 1989, through its 35-year-spanning (and counting) activity the space has grown into a critically acclaimed showroom recognized for its attention to quality, craftsmanship, and authenticity. Housed within the lofty premises of a former print workshop, this naturally lit, two-story hotspot will immerse you in the most striking, and revolutionary, creations by the likes of e15, Vitra, and Hay. Simultaneously representing some of the hottest names from the design scenario across Ireland and the UK, Viaduct moves beyond the retail space, nurturing new and affirmed talents, and contributing first-hand to the transition to more sustainable design and responsible sourcing practices.
Shop all of Viaduct's products here.
Material: Natural Pine with Green Steel
Price: $669.66
Material: Brass
Price: Inquire
Material: Breccia Pernice Marble
Price: $257.46
8. House of Hackney
St Michael's, Mark St, London EC2A 4ER, UK
Launched by Frieda Gormley and Javvy M. Royle in 2011, House of Hackney stands for full-on, proudly eccentric yet iconic maximalism. Reinventing traditional British design motifs with a contemporary twist, and a pinch of humor, this one-of-a-kind furniture paradise is the Eldorado of any color, print, and pattern aficionado. Serving a spirited, vibrant collection of decorative objects and furnishings as well as eye-catching fabrics and wallpapers, it has something of Alice in Wonderland in it, gently balanced with references to the atmosphere of the Bloomsbury Group's hand-painted furniture. Oozing Victorian and Art Deco flair, Royle and Gormley's selection pays homage to the romanticism of William Morris, incorporating England's flora and fauna in its designs. Housed with St Michael's Church in East London, the brand's British showroom is a treasure within a treasure. Boasting many connections and collaborations with the UK's, as well as the world's, foremost design minds and manufacturers, House of Hackney's mark on the scene can't go unnoticed.
Shop all of House of Hackney's products here.
Price: $325.00/roll
Price: $80.00/tin
Did you know that, starting from the early 19th century, Tottenham Court Road, situated in the north-western part of the city, became the beating heart of London's furniture market? This was mainly due to craftsmen like Thomas Chippendale and pioneering British homeware houses such as Heal's and Maple & Co. relocating to the area, which rapidly grew into the epicenter of all things London décor. Today, though, as shown in this roundup of the best furniture shops in London, things are once again changing, with many businesses strategically moving to less central parts of town, from Hackney Wick to the South East End, where many of the best London concept stores, the best London stationery shops, and the best London bookshops have recently found their home.
