In a world dominated by fast furniture and fleeting trends, 2nd Home is bringing meaning back into our interiors. Founded by a trio with backgrounds in tech, media, and finance, the platform offers a fresh take on vintage design, one that's curated, conscious, and irresistibly stylish. We sat down with the team to talk about their journey, why secondhand is the new luxury, and how they're reshaping the way we think about furniture in the digital age.

1. How did the idea for 2nd Home come about?

With 2nd Home, we're creating a digital space for everyone who wants more than just to furnish interiors, they want to truly experience them. Our vision is to build a platform that makes it easy to discover and purchase design classics and vintage treasures, without the dusty flea market vibe. Instead, it's curated, inspiring, and smart. But it's not just about aesthetics; it's also about responsibility. We believe products should stay in circulation longer to help move away from a throwaway culture. Interior design needs a fresh, lighter approach, one that's contemporary, digital, and sustainable. At the same time, we aim to bridge the gap between analog charm and digital convenience, helping vintage dealers connect with their audience more easily and effectively.

2. Can you introduce yourselves and tell us a bit about your background?

Behind 2nd Home are very different career paths, united by a shared passion for interiors full of character. Michael comes from the furniture industry and knows the market inside out. He has helped companies like DEPOT and Porta navigate the shift to the digital era. With a background in finance and tech, including time at Google, he brings an efficient, data-driven, and user-focused approach to our processes. Cloudy offers the lifestyle and media perspective: as a former editor-in-chief of international magazines, founder of an interior label, and a creative visionary with a keen eye for trends, aesthetics, and storytelling. Oliver brings over 15 years of e-commerce expertise, having built and led online marketing teams for companies like DEPOT and Porta, with a strong focus on strategy, audience reach, and brand development. What unites us is a belief in interior design that inspires and in the power of bold ideas that flourish when creative minds come together.

3. What made you decide to focus on second-hand design?

The interior industry is undeniably beautiful, but it faces a major challenge: it produces too much, too quickly, and for too short a time. We wanted to offer a different perspective. That's why secondhand isn't a fallback for us; it's the new luxury. What already exists carries more than just a story. It has substance, style, and soul. Our motto is simple: secondhand should be the first choice. At 2nd Home, we showcase this through a carefully curated selection of unique pieces, design classics, and hidden gems, proving that sustainability can be both meaningful and beautiful.

4. At a time of overconsumption, your platform promotes a more thoughtful way of buying. How do you communicate these values to your community?

We're not about preaching or pointing fingers, instead, we inspire through engaging content, editorials, our Instagram channel, and creative collaborations, showing just how beautiful slow interiors can be. More and more people want to consume consciously and live with individuality, moving away from throwaway culture toward spaces that have soul. This shift is clear in our community: our customers aren't after generic furniture, but carefully chosen pieces full of character, origin, and attitude. We invite people to see interiors as living expressions of personality, the spirit of the times, and style awareness. Our message is simple: those who choose vintage are shaping the future.

5. Who is your typical customer – vintage enthusiasts, design lovers, or first-time collectors?

Our community is as diverse as the pieces on our platform. Some are collectors with a keen eye for Bauhaus, others have just moved and are searching for a statement piece that feels unique—not mass-produced. Still others choose secondhand consciously, as a way to push back against mass consumption. What unites them all is a shared demand for quality, authenticity, and individuality. Our customers love design that tells a story, appreciate our carefully curated selection, and view interiors as a powerful form of self-expression.

6. Looking back since the launch of 2nd Home, what has been your biggest evolution, both in terms of aesthetics and in your mindset as a founder?

Our biggest evolution? Probably the courage to stop trying to do everything perfectly, and instead stay real and true to our values as founders and as a company. We've learned that community comes before reach, and that saying “no" often creates more space for what's truly right. Aesthetically, our perspective has sharpened: we curate more radically now, focus more, and give space to the pieces that tell stories. Our mindset has evolved toward “quality over quantity", both in our assortment and in how we run the business. At the same time, we've optimized our processes, from personal customer support to logistics, to ensure that every piece arrives quickly, safely, and with the appreciation it deserves.

7. What does the future hold for 2nd Home? Are there any projects you're particularly looking forward to, or new directions you'd like to explore?

We're currently working on features that make shopping vintage even smarter and more inspiring, including an optimized seller dashboard. In the long term, we want to establish 2nd home as a key digital player for curated secondhand interiors across Europe. And we dream of a physical space: a showroom that also functions as a creative hub, a place for discovery, exchange, and inspiration. Let's just say: we're only just getting started.

8. Finally, last question: your latest design crush?

Thanks to our incredible inventory, we find ourselves falling in love again and again. Right now, we're especially drawn to pieces that blur the lines between art and function, vintage and the spirit of the times. We don't chase trends, but we have a keen sense of when things are shifting, and we curate with that intuitive feeling for what's relevant now and what will stand the test of time.