My favourite local places for second-hand furniture
If you’re looking for a new sofa or armchair, buying second-hand can be a winner - lots of people will pass over an old sofa with sagging cushions and stained covers, meaning you can often bag yourself a bargain. Look for something from a reputable, mid-range retailer that is 10-20 years old. An upholsterer can then replace cushions or even take it right back to the frame and rebuild, then recover it in your dream fabric, and by doing so add decades onto the life of the piece.
I’ve lived in South East London for 16 years and have spent more of that time than I’d like to admit looking for second-hand furniture bargains to fill our home., so I wanted to share my top spots for second-hand furniture finds:
Crystal Palace Antiques (Jasper Road, Crystal Palace):
The first time I stepped in here, I couldn’t quite believe it existed on my doorstep. Four stories packed high with antiques and vintage finds, most of which are furniture. They have a good range of different styles and eras. It’s not the cheapest, but if you’re looking for good quality and something unique, this is the place to go.
Pre-Loved Stuff (High Street, Sydenham):
I’d lived in Sydenham for about 6 years before I discovered this place - it’s a relatively small shop unit down the lower end of the high street. The quality of their stock varies, but they do get all sorts of sofas, armchairs and dining chairs in, all for really good prices.
Crystal Palace Car Boot (Crystal Palace Park):
This car boot sale is in the car park in Crystal Palace Park (in the bit just above the sports centre). It is definitely hit and miss in terms of quality, but I have picked up several armchairs there incredibly cheaply. It’s just started up again for the spring, and takes place every Wednesday morning from 7am.
Chiswick Car Boot (Chiswick Community School):
This is not local but I’m including it as it’s my favourite car boot sale in London and I think worth the trip! It has an amazing range of furniture, and for years we basically furnished our home with things from here. It is more expensive these days, but you can still bag a bargain. It takes place monthly on a Sunday morning (usually first Sunday of the month) and is in the grounds of Chiswick Community School. You need to get there early (i.e. 6.30am!) to get the good stuff, and parking can be a bit of a nightmare, but it’s worth it for the vintage finds and sausage sandwiches.
Aladdin’s Cave (Loampit Hill, Lewisham):
I first went to this place years ago and went again recently when scouting out a particular type of chair. It is mad but amazing, and gets some incredible pieces in if you’re willing to look for it. Check out their Instagram for examples of the things they sell. They are open Thursday - Sunday.
British Heart Foundation Home Store (High Street, Bromley):
I often pop into this charity shop when I’m in Bromley town centre as it consistently has a good range of second-hand furniture, usually for a very affordable price and they deliver to you. I’ve never found anything particularly special in here but if you’re looking for a good quality, well made sofa to get reupholstered, this is a great place to look.
Vintique London (Copeland Park, Peckham):
This is a recent discovery for me. They specialise in mid-century furniture, with lots of G-Plan pieces. It’s a good place to look for second-hand dining chairs. It’s not the cheapest as they know their stuff and the market value of mid-century designers and good quality mid-century furniture, but I think they price fairly especially compared to places like eBay or pop-up vintage/flea markets. You can collect easily from their warehouse in Peckham, or they deliver for a small fee. They are open Friday (afternoons), Saturdays and Sundays.
Second Time Around (Lewisham Way, New Cross):
This place is perhaps not for the faint-hearted - there is so much furniture packed into their small warehouse on a residential road in Lewisham that it feels quite overwhelming. Lots of their chairs are stacked up on top of each other and hard to access but there is a helpful man there to help you sort through it. I think most of their stock comes from house/office clearances so they do have sofas, armchairs, dining chair sets etc. I would advise going in knowing what you’re looking for, and having a good eye for a well-made piece. They deliver locally (within a 2 mile radius).