Milano

Image Credit

You may – and rightly so – associate Milano with fashion but furniture and home goods designers have now created a foothold in the city.  There are designer showrooms dotted throughout the city though many have congregated along the Via Durini.  As well as the new Lago store, there are a variety of delights to be found in this Italian stronghold of contemporary living.   Shops you should really consider visiting are Cassina and Balieri.  Line your pockets well, however, none of these designers come cheap.

Brussels

Image Credit

If you like fantastic design on a budget, however, you should aim for the Belgium city of Brussels, which hosts a daily flea market at the Place du Jeu de Balle.  You may have to rummage but if rooting around is your idea of heaven, then this flea market will have you captivated from the word go.  Plus, it is on every day so if you base your life around hunting out those wonderful antique finds, then this will give you a fix every twenty four hours.  However, to get the best deals you must get there when it starts, which is at six each morning, a time of day about which the majority of the population know little.  If you prefer your design more recently created then drop by Emery & Cie.  The building that houses the shop will blow you away before you enter the wonderful interior.

Copenhagen

If you are spending any amount of time on mainland Europe with design in mind then you would find yourself drawn to Denmark.  Functional Modernism was essentially born in this small but profoundly cultured country and you will still find a number of designers who are very much at the forefront of the movement.  If you are looking to fill your home with objects of contemporary beauty but which still have use, then Illums Bolighusis a place that you will need to drop by – put by a sizeable chunk of a morning or afternoon, however.  The place is enormous.

Paris

Image Credit

Paris: the French make the appreciation of cool design almost an everyday activity and many a visit to a French household will uncover objects that you will lust after and wonder where on earth you can get them back home.  Fear not, simply do in Paris as the Parisiens.  Visit the remarkable Lafayette Maison to get your hands on those every day items given that classy Gallic twist.  If you want something quirkier then you can’t go wrong with Astier de Villatte, whose website (below) takes clever advantage of its historic location.  So too does the store itself – their collections of white ceramics will give your family and friends something to covet when you get them home.

Stockholm

No worries, this is the only mention that you will see to IKEA here; Sweden is so much more than meatballs and flat pack.  If you find yourself in Stockholm and are looking for a gift to take back home (either for yourself or a friend or loved one) then you will find something at the Design House Stockholm.  This place is where you will find work by up and coming Swedish designers whose work is almost unheard of outside Europe and is bound to raise eyebrows when displayed in your home.  Something more ubiquitous is Design Torget which has a number of outlets throughout Stockholm and in these you will discover more utilitarian but no less exciting design by the country’s new design talents as well as more established names.

Amsterdam

Image Credit

Some people think that the Dutch have no sense of humor but they do and it is one which translates very well all over the world in terms of design.  Droog Design ensures that you will have a smile on your face when you exit, whether you have spent a cent or not.  They are particularly good at spotting stars of the future and giving new designers space.  If you prefer a combination of the old and the new then you could not go wrong with the Moooi Gallery.  The combination of old and new is sublime and you will not be disappointed with their ever-changing installations and exhibitions.

Barcelona

Image Credit

You can spend a month in Barcelona without covering all of the numerous design shops to be found there.  This makes it difficult to pinpoint one to advise the traveler to visit.  However, if you want to see the best of both Spanish and international design, then go down the Passeig de Gracia and discover for yourself the delight that is Vincon.  This is essentially several shops in one with various areas dedicated to different parts of the house.  As a secondary plus, right next door is the Sala Vincon which showcases the best in contemporary industrial and graphic design.

London

It would be churlish for this author not to mention his home city of London in this piece.  Established and Sons is a must see if you visit the capitol of England.  Its remit is to promote UK manufacturers and designers and this is something it executes marvelously with in that typical unfussy English way you might expect.  The items are left effectively to sell themselves and are consistently surprising in their daring simplicity.  The organization does collaborate with international designers when it comes to interiors, but if you want British, contemporary and cutting edge you cannot go far wrong here.

Helsinki

Image Credit

When in Finland, you need not worry about finding individual design shops – you simply need to head for the design district in Helsinki and there you will be absolutely spoiled for choice.  There you will discover a combination of well established names and those so new you may not even have heard of them.  The place is simply brimming with boutiques, furniture shops and exhibition spaces, so much so that you will have to put a whole day aside for this visit if you are serious about design! 

This list is, obviously, not exhaustive – more of a snapshot of some of the best places to go when you are in Europe if you have an eye for design.  Please – add your own suggestions in the comment box below.