Second-Hand Furniture in Copenhagen: A Guide for Newcomers & Expats
In this guide:
Where to buy second-hand furniture in Copenhagen
How to avoid common mistakes as a newcomer
The curated shortcut that Biophi offers to buy vintage stores
Copenhagen is amazing for second-hand furniture, but it can also be overwhelming when you’re new. If you want the fastest route to furnishing your flat well, this guide shows the best options.
Prefer to browse what’s available now? See Biophi’s latest additions.
Why Is Copenhagen So Good for Second-Hand Furniture?
Danes take quality seriously. That means the second-hand market is full of well-made, well-maintained pieces — solid teak sideboards, ceramic lamps, porcelain tableware and mid-century chairs. The culture of genbrug (literally "re-use") is embedded in everyday life here, and the infrastructure to support it is strong. Unlike many other countries, in Denmark, you will never be looked down upon for buying second-hand.
Where can I buy good second-hand furniture in Copenhagen?
Copenhagen has three main shopping channels for buying good and affordable second-hand furniture and home decor — Charity stores, curated boutiques, and online marketplaces (Biophi, DBA).
1. Physical Charity Stores (Genbrugsbutikker)
These are the most accessible starting point. Røde Kors (Red Cross) and Blå Kors (Blue Cross) have multiple locations across the city and are reliably stocked with homeware and furniture. Røde Kors has a Megastore at Tuborgvej 2400 NV that has a particularly strong furniture selection. Prices are low and turnover is fast, so visiting once a week pays off.
Best for: Affordable everyday pieces, ceramics, kitchenware, random items.
Tip: Try to go before the weekend rush to find the best pieces.
2. Curated Vintage Stores
These are more expensive but already edited for quality and taste. Genfund in Frederiksberg is one of the best-known for curated Danish design. KLASSIK Moderne Møbelkunst in the city centre stocks iconic mid-century Danish furniture — this is where you go to understand the market and learn what quality looks like, even if you're not buying at those prices. B&W Market in Reffen is one of the biggest markets for Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian furniture that sees individuals and professional buyers come in often. Ravnsborggade is also worth an afternoon — the entire street is lined with curated vintage stores and you can browse them all in a single walk.
Best for: Understanding Danish design, investment pieces, gifts.
Tip: Visit these first if you're new, so you develop an eye before buying in charity shops. Biophi works with some of these stores so you can browse their collection online!
3. Online marketplaces
DBA is the largest marketplace locals use and is the Danish equivalent of Craigslist or Gumtree. It is the single most important platform for second-hand furniture in Denmark and where most Danes actually buy and sell. The interface is in Danish but straightforward to navigate with Google Translate. Search for specific item types — sofa, spisebord (dining table), reol (bookcase), lænestol (armchair). Facebook Marketplace exists but has more scam risk. Biophi is a curated online marketplace where you can shop directly from Copenhagen's best vintage stores — with photos, prices, and pickup info all in one place, no back-and-forth messaging required. It is built with expats in mind.
Best for: Large furniture, specific searches, the best prices.
Tip: Filter by Copenhagen and sort by newest first. Good pieces go fast — message the same day you see something you want.
Which Copenhagen Neighborhoods Are Best for Finding Vintage Furniture Stores?
Stores Worth Knowing by Name
- Røde Kors Megastore — Tuborgvej, NV. Furniture, homeware, clothes. Huge selection.
- Blå Kors — Borgergade 27, Indre By. Great Scandinavian brand selection.
- Kofoeds Skole — Underrated. Well-organised, quality pieces, not yet overrun by pickers.
- B&W Market — Reffen. Big warehouse full of Scandinavian furniture. Buyers visit from all over Denmark.
- Frelsens Hærs Genbrug — Hørhusvej. Big store, furniture included, open Tuesday–Friday + first Saturday of the month.
- Biophi — online marketplace curating pieces from Copenhagen's best vintage stores. Browse, reserve, and collect at your own pace.
How to Choose Good Second-Hand Furniture?
Buy second-hand in Copenhagen:
- Teak furniture (tables, drawers, etc) from the 1950s–1970s — almost always solid wood, built to last and maintains resale value
- Royal Copenhagen and Bing & Grøndahl ceramics — widely available, identifiable by the blue mark underneath
- Danish glass and stoneware — often unmarked but high quality
- Mid-century lamps and pendants — particularly Fog & Mørup, Le Klint, and Poulsen styles.
Be careful with:
- Upholstered furniture without knowing the condition of the frame underneath
- Anything priced like it's designer at a charity shop — sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Learn the names or markers.
- IKEA second-hand — can work for very short-term needs, but at the same price you'll often find solid teak or beech pieces in Copenhagen's charity shops that will outlast anything from IKEA and will maintain resale value.
Practical Tips for Expats Specifically
1. The language barrier is smaller than you think. Most store staff in Copenhagen speak fluent English. DBA listings are in Danish, but the key vocabulary is easy to learn: god stand means good condition, brugt means used, fast pris means fixed price. You can always message the seller in English and they will reply back.
2. Bring measurements. Danish apartments often have lower ceilings and narrower doorframes than you might expect. Know your room dimensions before you fall in love with a large table.
3. Transport is your problem. Unlike buying new furniture, most private sellers don't offer delivery. Rent a van for the day through GoMore or Europcar, or ask in local expat Facebook groups — people often help each other with furniture pickups. Silvan also has free cargo rentals that you can attach to your car if you have one. Biophi has delivery options on some items.
4. Negotiate, but politely. In stores, prices are usually fixed — don't haggle. On DBA and at flea markets, a polite offer 10–15% below asking is normal and usually accepted.
5. Flea markets happen in summer. From May to August, weekend flea markets appear across the city — Frederiksberg Have, Israel Plads, and neighbourhood associations all run them. These are excellent for smaller pieces and decorative items. The Bella Center flea market happens many times throughout the year and is one of the biggest ones to find all kinds of secondhand items.
The Bigger Picture
Buying second-hand in Copenhagen isn't just a budget move — it's one of the more meaningful ways to engage with the city's culture. Denmark has a genuine, long-standing genbrug tradition that predates the sustainability trend. When you buy a 1960s teak dining table from a charity shop in Nørrebro, you're continuing a chain of care that might go back three or four families.
That's worth something — and it costs less than IKEA.
Biophi is a curated second-hand homeware marketplace connecting Copenhagen's best thrift stores online. Browse the latest finds.
