Sometimes we want to stand out from the IKEA crowd with something a little original to brighten up our homes – perhaps a unique chair, bookcase or lamp.
You can get something very singular at Luxembourg’s vintage furniture shops, or if you can’t afford the price tag there are places selling second-hand furniture, crockery and even mattresses at rock bottom prices. Take a look at our list.
Oddhaus Vintage
144 Mühlenweg, Gasperich
https://oddhausvintage.lu/
Open: Saturday 11.00 to 16.00 or by appointment
Vibe: Something unique for your home
Run by Alina, this little treasure trove of items contains mirrors and globes, old typewriters and wicker chairs, with plenty of offbeat vintage furniture and home decoration from the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, much of it with a Scandinavian twist.
One reviewer raves about the vintage knife set he bought and you can also browse online to take a look at a bizarre but gorgeous black and chrome drinks cart, a 1980s tambour room divider, a retro 1950s glass top abstract coffee table, or a Japanese lacquerware tray.
Oddhaus Vintage hand picks products from the Greater Region but also Denmark and the Netherlands, and even has some pre-war industrial designs and 1980s kitsch. “Our mission is to bring affordable, unique and original edition design to Luxembourg, making vintage accessible to everyone,” says their website.
Rob Vintage
111 Rue de Hollerich, Hollerich
http://www.rob.lu/
Open: Saturday from 10.00 to 18.00.
Vibe: Carefully curated retro designer pieces
The story behind this shop which was opened in 2012 is quite amazing. Rob Carpentry was established in 1892 by Dominique and Nicolas Rob.
In 1957, Nicolas Rob’s son, also Nic Rob, opened Luxembourg’s first design store. It sold products from well-known designers such as P Kjaerholm, A Jacobson and E Aarnio. Nic’s daughter, Michele, took over the shop in 1993 and later launched Rob Vintage in 2012 selling second-hand vintage design furniture. She is Luxembourg’s first legally certified expert in design furniture.
Michele Rob is Luxembourg’s first legally certified expert in design furniture and has a section of her shop dedicated to vintage pieces © Photo credit: Rob Vintage
Like Oddhaus, this place also specialises in furniture and lighting from the 1950s to 1980s, specifically unique designer pieces. For a very special gift, how about a red coffee pot from 1957 by Antti Nurmesniemi or a late 1960s Glas Tra mirror from Sweden. The shop also has some unusual jewellery pieces including a Nina Ricci gold toned panther brooch.
The carpentry shop in Hollerich sells current design furniture and Michele recently opened a second outlet for this on Rue Philippe II in the city.
Okkasiounsbuttik
33 Avenue de la Liberté, Differdange
Open: Tuesday to Friday from 10.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 9.00 to 17.00
Vibe: circle of life with a twist
Okkasiounsbuttik is essentially about furniture recycling in a creative way. They repair old furniture and transform it creatively in their workshop, selling it in the store at Differdange, although you can browse online and they can deliver and assemble furniture.
The new showroom is 33 Avenue de la Liberté, Differdange © Photo credit: Okkasiounsbuttik
What’s more, if you have an old item in good condition and you live in the cantons of Capellen, Esch, Remich and Luxembourg City, they will collect it and remove it for free or alternatively give it a fresh creative look and new lease of life for you.
You can pick up second-hand fully repaired items at very reasonable prices, including wardrobes for around €200 and chairs from €20. They also have sofas, mirrors, and bedframes. There are smaller decorative items such as picture frames, shot glasses, or flower pots.
Perhaps most interesting are the art design pieces including some unusual cabinets and desks.
Vintage Mood by Croix Rouge
18 Rue Geespelt, Livange
www.facebook.com/vintage.mood.lux/
Open: Monday to Friday 10.30 to 18.30
Vibe: eclectic items at value prices
Need a piano, a Persian rug, a recliner or table football? How about bigger items like a dining table with four chairs or a set of two sofas?
Unusual items such as table football or unusual lamps turn up at this store which also houses second-hand clothing © Photo credit: Christophe Olinger
Whilst you can get some unusual items like a giant stuffed giraffe toy or an exercise bicycle, this is where you’ll find lamps and crockery items at a steal, with some gorgeous little coffee pot sets complete with pot, jug, sugar bowl and little cups, or plenty of plates and glass bowls if you need a few extra for a dinner party.
Troc
12 Rue Portland, Esch-sur-Alzette
Open: Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 18.00
Vibe: Talking point pieces that no one else will ever have
This might look a bit like a shop run by hoarders, with old washing machines and furniture stacked up, but it is an Aladdin’s cave full of little wonders if you take the time to look.
You can pick up a ceramic Villeroy and Boch casserole dish for €12 or a beautiful series of 12 plates showing hand-painted landmarks from Paris such as the Moulin Rouge or Notre Dame Cathedral for just €69. Add to that old-fashioned coffee grinders and even an ornate accordion.
For something more practical there are sets of lights, lamps, sofas, desks, and cabinets. If you keep an eye out online you can find garden furniture and even mattresses in pretty good condition or almost new.
Nei Aarbecht
7 Rue de l’Alzette, Helmdange, Lorentzweiler
Open: Monday to Friday 14.00 to 18.00
Vibe: Full house furnishing on a budget
Established in 1986 CNDS Nei Aarbecht is a social structure offering work to people in social distress from varied life paths allowing them to gain structure to their day and autonomy of living. Part of a growing circular economy in Luxembourg, workers collect items and repair them for sale in their store.
This is the place to come to if you need to kit out your entire home © Photo credit: Chris Karaba
This is the place to come if you need to kit out your home. Beds come with mattresses, there are wardrobes, sofas, chest of drawers, bookshelves, cabinets, sideboards, dining tables with chairs, lighting, cutlery and glasses. You can even throw in a few books or vinyls for those shelves.
Nei Aarbecht reuses everything that works, including furniture, decorative items, electrical appliances and clothing. You should send photos of furniture you want to donate together with your contact details either by WhatsApp to 621 171 812 or by email to [email protected]. They have two to three trucks available to collect items which are then transferred to their workshops.
Local Facebook groups
There’s been much talk about marketplace hoaxes but on the whole there are many honest individual sellers and you can pick up a bargain if someone is having a house contents sale due to a relocation.
Items may not be in great condition so ask to see a photo or ask questions if you are not sure, and check electric items are working.
Alternatives include Facebook’s sell, give, exchange, 2nd hand or free your stuff Luxembourg.
Angloinfo also has a classified section with furniture and decorative items put up for sale by individuals.
For a list of furnishing stores in Luxembourg read the article below:
Furnishing stores
If you don’t actually want to replace it but just repair it, then read our article on repair cafes:
Don’t ditch it – take it to a repair cafe
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