The great joy of antique shopping is in the unearthing of treasures, ready for a new home and a new life. Sourcing antique or vintage furniture and accessories can be a thankless and laborious task however, and visits to markets and charity shops and resellers often fruitless.
A relatively new wave of online marketplaces, independent stores and and apps are changing the way we shop for antiques for the better. Marketplaces like Selency, Pamono and 1st Dibs provide a platform for antique resellers and shops to sell their wares worldwide, the newly-launched Narchie does so in a handy app format, whilst savvy vintage store owners like The Old Cinema and Louisa Grace Interiors are migrating online.
These wonderful stores showcase the best antique and vintage designs from Ercol to Eames, breathe new life into reclaimed shop counters, dressers and bar stools, and source industrial pendant lights, apothecary jars and ceramic from the sprawling European antiques markets.
Read on for 22 of the best online stores for antique and vintage furniture, homeware, lighting and accessories.
1. Selency
Selency is what every second-hand and antique shop should be. It is an absolute treat to browse, full of design delights and unique finds at affordable price points. Pieces are sourced from all over Europe and cover every conceivable design era. It is up there with our favourites.
Elm and wicker ball lamp
Vase in ceramic floral motif 23cm
See all Linens & soft furnishings Vintage armchair
2. The Old Cinema
We love The Old Cinema for its huge selection of antique and vintage furniture, lighting and accessories that is as diverse as it is unpredictable. The Old Cinema store in West London is a unique shopping destination set in a former picture house with a 10,000 square foot showroom to explore.
3. Narchie
Narchie is a welcome disruptor in the vintage retail space. The homeware marketplace app hosts a new generation of digitally-savvy decor enthusiasts, buying, selling and connecting in one place. It’s a must-download to discover the best vintage resellers.
4. Vinterior
Vinterior is the UK’s leading pre-owned furniture marketplace, which means it has choice and lots of it. The site is a labyrinth of mid-century, antique, Art Deco and more, and you can while away happy hours browsing through it all.
Pair Of Antique Frederick Rhead Floral Vases
Murano Glass Tiger Vase, 1960s
Vintage 1950s Danish Striped Green Velvet Sofa
5. The Peanut Vendor
This one is for real design aficionados. If you’re a fan of 20th century furniture and accessories, from Postmodern dining chairs to Italian lighting and surrealist sculpture, you’ll find something at The Peanut Vendor.
6. Etsy
If you’re a dedicated browser and take pleasure in the hunt for the perfect piece, don’t overlook Etsy for antiques and vintage finds. There is a handy filter you can use whilst browsing their home categories to display all of the second-hand pieces.
7. Home Barn
Home Barn is a one-stop shop for anyone who lives – or dreams of living – in a quintessential country cottage. Accessories and furniture have a wonderful rustic quality, distressed and time-worn which only adds to the charm. We have our eye on a couple of antique shop counters that would make the perfect kitchen island.
Antique Java Water Pot Medium
Pink Velvet Cushion With Tassels
Antique French Door Mirror
8. Oxfam
Shoppers willing to put in the browsing time on the Oxfam website will reap the benefits. There is plenty to look at – they have over 1,000 pieces of ceramic alone – including vintage Wedgwood and Japanese porcelain teapots.
9. The Hoarde
The Hoarde is a real find. This vintage and antique marketplace is full of curiosities and one-offs, like crayon-shaped coat stands, art panels taken from fairground carousels and a metre-high pink stone flamingo. We’re also really taken with their bar accessories, from Art Deco champagne coupes to bamboo bar carts and French serving platters.
10. 1st Dibs
1st Dibs is where you go to find the best antique dealers from around the world – although we recommend you filter to show sellers in your own country, as the choice is ample. There are plenty of reasonably priced pieces available (see our selection below,) alongside blow-the-budget wishlist items.
Swedish Original Painted Chair
Charlotte Rhead Bursley Ware Art Pottery Lamp Base
19th Century Swedish Painted Pine Tool Box
11. Design Vintage
Design Vintage is great for big pieces of vintage furniture, like handsome wardrobes and sideboards, chunky stools and benches. There are new pieces on the site too, but as the name suggests, everything has a charming weathered and vintage feel.
12. The Antik Store
Great for accessories and finishing touches. Take particular note of the tableware on the Antik Store website for a delicious array of vintage Italian pasta bowls, 18th century French serving platters and hand-embroidered napkins.
13. Anemone
Anemone founder, Lia Briamonte, describes her style as Italy meets Palm Springs, so expect some of the boldest examples of 1970s and 1980s design, from chunky lucite tables to colourful Murano lamps, vintage disco balls and some exceptional early Cassina pieces.
Pair of Italian non matching lamps c.1970
1980s Italian faux bamboo and cane upholstered chair
Trompe L’oeil draped wicker side table
14. Merchant & Found
We would recommend Merchant & Found for its fabulous 1960’s industrial pendant lights alone, which are oversized and perfect for a country kitchen. Have a look too at the 1950’s bistro dining chairs and their collection of restored Mucke Melder armchairs too.
15. Facebook Marketplace
Whilst we don’t recommend overlooking Facebook Marketplace for some of the best antique deals out there, exercise caution with the type of ads you look at – there can be scammers amongst them, although usually easy to spot.
16. Owl & The Elephant
The husband and wife behind Owl & The Elephant travel to antique markets around the UK and Europe to source their predominantly industrial, mid-century and Scandinavian pieces and restore those that need a bit of help. Their neatly-edited website is a great antidote to some of the more overwhelming online marketplaces.
17. Retrouvius
Retrouvius is owned and run by the acclaimed designers behind the Retrouvius design studio. The website is unique on our list for its collection of reclaimed and salvaged architectural pieces, like framed school windows, oak balustrades, and fluted iron columns.
Hand-carved geometric panels
Ercol Rocking Chair
Pair of Crystal Chandeliers
18. Louisa Grace Interiors
Whilst the offering is small, it is perfectly formed. Louisa Grace Interiors does antique and vintage furniture best – it is an absolute must-visit if you’re after vintage sideboards or dressers.
19. Bull + Tash
There’s a definite preference for the timeless designs of the 1950s and 1960s at Bull + Tash alongside a lot of the classic Scandinavian pieces. This is where you should go if you love all things retro.
20. Pamono
Pamono is another brilliant marketplace housing some of the best antique resellers and vintage dealers both near and far. They cover every conceivable design style, era and budget, and it’s a total delight to browse through the site in search of something truly special.
Vintage Beige Boucle Loop Armchair, 1970s
Vintage Mahogany Luggage Stands, 1940, Set of 2
French Modern Table Lamp, 1980s
21. Lovely & Co
For a small vintage store, Lovely & Co have some of the best design names on our list. Eames chairs sit with vintage Ercol, Marcel Breuer, alongside reclaimed tables and industrial lighting.
22. eBay
Never overlook eBay. Although admittedly a labyrinth of new and old, there are some brilliant bargains to be had and antique treasures to be found by the more patient amongst us.
