The best design stores and studios in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a design capital of the world. Over the past century, Danish designers effortlessly combined form and function in all manner of elevated everyday items, from sinuous wishbone chairs to stainless steel water jugs and sculptural sofas. The success of Danish designers has contributed to a global aesthetic shift, away from the opulence and extravagance of traditional European decorative arts and towards a pared back, minimal modernism.

In a time where the threat of climate change grows ever larger, Danish design’s inclination towards local materials and circularity resonates louder than ever before. As such, a trip to Copenhagen is more than an experience of aesthetics. From Royal porcelain to mid-century modern furniture, up to contemporary interior architecture studios, Denmark’s capital showcases the power of design to challenge perceptions and reshape the way we live.

A multitude of design stores can be found on almost every street within the city centre, with some of the best located just around the corner from notable attractions such as the Round Tower and Amalienborg Palace, as well as the city’s top art galleries, coffee shops and restaurants.

From furniture to fragrance and jewellery, here are the best design stores and studios in Copenhagen, ordered by neighbourhood.

Indre By

Illum Design Atelier

Best for: An entire floor dedicated to dining, design and interior decor
Location: Østergade 52, DK-1100 Copenhagen

Take the hidden elevator to the top floor of historic premium department store Illum for their design atelier. From Royal Copenhagen dinner sets to Tokyo-based Nicolai Bergmann’s flower boxes, many of Denmark’s greatest interior design brands can be found here. A mecca for everyday objects to make your living space come alive, Illum atelier offers a compact yet comprehensive selection of items for every room and occasion. Think colourful lamps from Design by Us, crystal glassware from Frederik Bagger and decadent licorice from Bagsværd Lakrids. Muji’s Copenhagen flagship store can also be found here, alongside a variety of restaurants arranged around an outdoor terrace.

Royal Copenhagen

Best for: Iconic blue fluted dinnerware
Location: Amagertorv 6, DL-1160 Copenhagen

Though Denmark’s most famous porcelain manufacturer has moved its main production to Thailand, Royal Copenhagen retains its Danish roots at its century-old flagship store. An extensive yet intimate shopping experience is held over two floors, with a regularly changing exhibition on the first floor exploring the craft of historic designs and collections. If you dream of hand-decorated porcelain that doesn’t break the bank, keep walking down the street. Antikk antique store, hidden away in nearby Knabrostræde, has an impressive collection of second-hand Royal Copenhagen pieces, including discontinued collections and factory seconds.

Yōnobi

Best for: Drop-in clay play and throwing courses
Location: Nybrogade 28, st., DK-1203 Copenhagen

Yōnobi stocks beautiful ceramics and sculptures from a range of international artists. All pieces are available to purchase online and can then be picked up from the brand’s physical shop, studio and cafe in Copenhagen. The first-floor space hosts Yōnobi’s sculpture and wheel thrown workshops, while the level below is home to the Yōnobi cafe, where spontaneous drop-in clay play can be enjoyed with a coffee, tea or juice. There are templates at hand, and Yōnobi can ship finished creations to your home (including international addresses) once glazing and firing is complete.

Studio Arhoj

Best for: Danish design meets Japanese aesthetics
Location: Skindergade 7, st,. DK-1159 Copenhagen

Inspired by his graphic design background and time spent in Japan, Anders Arhøj launched Studio Arhoj to produce homewares that blend Danish design with Japanese aesthetics. Stepping into Studio Arhoj’s flagship store is to enter a whimsical realm populated by cute ceramic and glass creatures. Reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s magical universe, creations range from the popular ‘Ghost’ ceramic figures to more utilitarian items such as textured ramen bowls and beautifully glazed tea cups. The shop provides production space for the local community to get involved in wheel throwing, glazing and glass blowing, so there’s always something to watch when you visit.

TAKT Studio

Best for: Eco-certified modular furniture and interior designs
Location: Sølvgade 5, DK-1307 Copenhagen

With circularity at its core, TAKT furniture demonstrates that design can be for all, including the planet. All wood used in its production is sustainably sourced, and all items are built to last a lifetime. In addition to its own EU eco-label collection of indoor seating and tables, TAKT curates items and accessories by other brands that share their values, including kitchen towels from The Organic Company, wall clocks by London-based Jasper Morrison and rugs from Vibeke Klint, the Danish queen of minimal textiles. If you can’t visit during opening hours, simply drop the team an email and they will accommodate to your schedule.

FRAMA

Best for: Artistic tableware and eclectic fragrances
Location: Fredericiagade 57, DK-1310 Copenhagen

A former 19th-century pharmacy forms the historic backdrop of FRAMA’s serene flagship store, where fragrances, organic tableware and select pieces from its furniture collection can be experienced first-hand. Here, old and new seamlessly blend via FRAMA’s timeless expressions in glass, clay, wood and metal. Drawing inspiration from the Danish food scene, FRAMA’s tableware embodies minimal elegance and can be experienced first-hand in the nextdoor cafe Apotek 57, popular among locals, epicures and design enthusiasts alike. FRAMA’s multi-faceted experience leads the emerging interdisciplinary design scene in Copenhagen.

Ruby Atelier

Best for: Vintage pieces and unique craftsmanship in a museum-like atmosphere
Location: Amaliegade 6, st. th., DK-1256 Copenhagen

Ruby Atelier specialises in collectible, mid-century and contemporary design and displays its wares in the serene atmosphere of a former ground-floor apartment, where each furniture piece is offered the space to be appreciated as an artwork in its own right. In dialogue with the furniture are paintings, sculptures, lamps and design objects from a broad range of international creatives. On a given day, one might be lucky to come across a piece by French designer Pierre Chapo, or the iconic ‘T’ chair by Finnish Olavi Hänninen. Items are sourced and curated from around the world, and are united in their organic forms and timeless materials.

Normann Copenhagen

Best for: Iconic functionality showcasing the essence of Danish design
Location: Niels Hemmingsensgade 12, DK-1153 Copenhagen

Clean lines and durable design inhabit this Danish interior and furniture brand. More than 50 designers contribute to Normann Copenhagen’s growing collection of original and innovative creations. Some of the brand’s most iconic pieces include the twisting candleholder in various natural finishes or matte colours, and the adorable Shorebird wooden figurine, inspired by the migratory birds that return to Denmark’s coastline each year. Both are available at the Normann Copenhagen shop and showroom, a walk-in store spread across two buildings and a courtyard that showcases the functionality of each piece and invites visitors to envision their own living room with Normann.

Muuto

Best for: A colourful forerunner of contemporary Scandinavian design
Location: Store Regnegade 12, DK-1110 Copenhagen

It’s hard to resist the desire to redecorate your entire living room after a visit to Muuto. This innovative brand broke through the Danish design scene in the late 90s, daring to dust off Denmark’s mid-century design aesthetics and revamp them for the 21st century by embracing new materials, technologies and conceptual thinking. In doing so, they became a forerunner for contemporary Danish design. This shines through in many of the brand’s most popular pieces, from their sculptural sofas and vases to quirky coat hooks and shelves. Muuto’s recognisable shapes and honest aesthetics can be experienced first-hand in its Copenhagen shop, where works by contributing designers from around Scandinavia are on display.

Georg Jensen

Best for: Timeless silverware and jewellery
Location: Amagertorv 4, DK-1160 Copenhagen

Founded by silversmith Georg Jensen in 1904, the brand continues to produce jaw-dropping silverware, jewellery and tableware today. Under the ownership of Royal Copenhagen, Georg Jensen’s minimalist approach and organic shapes add a subtle luxury to both the dinner table and evening attire. In its grand flagship store in the centre of Copenhagen, you will find a large showroom with all of the most iconic pieces, including the Bernadotte thermos pot and the elegant Koppel jug. From historic collections to contemporary designs, Georg Jensen remains a staple of Danish households.

Helle Mardhal Studio

Best for: Colourful creations showcasing the exceptional beauty of glass art
Location: Bredgade 38, 2, DK-1260 Copenhagen

In her Copenhagen showroom and shop, artist Helle Mardhal has created an adult’s candy store to showcase her exceptionally beautiful glass pieces and designs. Stepping into the 19th-century apartment, you’re not quite sure whether you’ve fallen down the rabbit hole or entered a Copenhagen version of Sex and the City. Using only natural colours, Mardhal’s range of whimsical and functional glass pieces, from ceiling lamps to cocktail coupets, adds aesthetic playfulness to everyday items and spaces.

Østerbro

Studio Oliver Gustav

Best for: Carefully selected design pieces and furniture from around the world.
Location: Kastelvej 18, DK-2100 Copenhagen

Studio Oliver Gustav presents a vast portfolio of mid-century modern and contemporary design, either designed or curated by Oliver Gustav himself, and arranged alongside ancient artefacts, antiques, art, and found objects. The 1920s building offers a serene setting to experience Gustav’s monochromatic interior approach. Gustav has succeeded in creating a space of simplistic tranquillity and timeless beauty, where old meets new and far corners of the world are within arms reach. Be mindful that the studio is open for visits on Thursday and Friday at 11am to 5pm, and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

Nordhavn

Audo House

Best for: An all-around design experience under one roof
Location: Århusgade 130, DK-2150 Copenhagen

Near Nordhavn, the northern harbour area of Copenhagen, Audo House combines a design store and showroom with a restaurant and hotel (one of the best places to stay in Copenhagen), offering a multifaceted, immersive setting to experience Danish design. Created by Audo Copenhagen, visitors can experience living with Audo Copenhagen’s contemporary range of furniture, lighting and accessories first-hand before purchasing them in the shop below, and can enjoy New Nordic cuisine at the restaurant using Audo Copenhagen-designed tableware. The team here offers interior design consultations to bring the sensibilities of Audo House to your own home.

Dansk Møbelkunst Gallery

Best for: The creme de la creme of Danish furniture design
Location: Aldersrogade 6C, 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen

Specialising in collectible Nordic furniture designs from 1920 to 1970, Dansk Møbelkunst Gallery offers the creme de la creme of mid-century modern Danish and Scandinavian design, with around 100 names in its portfolio. Design enthusiasts might be able to view such iconic pieces such as Arne Jacobsen’s ‘Egg’ chair and Poul Henningsen’s ‘Penchant’ lamp when available. Other legendary designers to have been on show include Kaare Klint, Alvar Alto, Hans J. Wegner, Kai Lyngfeldt Larsen and Kay Fisker. The minimal gallery setting affords each design the space to breathe, and to be appreciated as the museum-quality pieces they are.