'How to furnish an apartment in Germany: the kitchen, furniture, Ablöse,

A German-style interior rarely comes together after just one trip to furniture stores. In Germany, people tend to furnish their homes gradually: first the kitchen, lighting, sleeping and storage areas, then a workspace, textiles, decor, and items that will survive the next move. That’s why a German apartment may look understated and even simple, but inside it’s usually well-suited to real everyday life.

For newcomers to Germany, the biggest surprise often comes after receiving the keys. A rental apartment may be almost empty: it has walls, a floor, a bathroom, and a kitchen area, but you’ll have to take care of everything else yourself. Because of this, the German approach to interior design isn’t centered on flashy renovations, but rather on practical solutions: what’s already included in the rent, what you can take with you when you move out, what’s more cost-effective to buy secondhand, and what’s better to order once and keep for the long term.

What to check before signing the lease

When searching for housing in Germany at 10_PUBLISHED/content/en/How to rent an apartment in Germany documents search and lease agreement, it’s important to look beyond just the neighborhood and price. The details—which can later cost you money and cause stress—are what really matter for your future living space:

• Is there an Einbauküche—a built-in kitchen?;
• Who owns the kitchen: the landlord, the previous tenants, or is there no kitchen at all;
• whether closets, appliances, light fixtures, curtains, and built-in features are included in the rent;
• whether you’re allowed to drill holes, paint the walls, change the light fixtures, and install your own appliances;
• What is written in the rental contract regarding renovations, the condition of the apartment, and the security deposit upon moving out.

If there’s no kitchen, your moving budget changes immediately. In Germany, a kitchen is often treated as a separate project: measurements, planning, delivery, installation, and connecting appliances. That’s why it’s best to figure out how to buy a kitchen in Germany—10_PUBLISHED/content/en/Kitchens in Germany Where to Buy, How Much They Cost, and How to Avoid Overpaying—before you’ve already moved in and are cooking on a temporary stovetop.

Ablöse: When Furniture Is Purchased from Previous Tenants

Ablöse is compensation paid to the previous tenants for the items they leave behind: the kitchen, cabinets, light fixtures, and sometimes bathroom or entryway furniture. The idea itself is convenient: the kitchen stays in place, the new tenant can move in faster, and the previous tenants don’t have to dismantle everything. The risk is that the price and terms are often discussed too informally.

If you’re purchasing the kitchen or furniture, put the deal in writing. The agreement should specify:

• exactly what remains in the apartment;
• the condition of the furniture and appliances;
• the price and payment method;
• the move-in date;
• What happens if, for some reason, the lease agreement isn’t finalized.

Don’t confuse the Ablöse with the lease itself. It’s a separate, private purchase, and a verbal agreement offers little protection here. If the price seems inflated or you’re being pressured to buy a “package” of unnecessary items, it’s safer to walk away and keep looking for an apartment.

Why German interiors are built in layers

In Germany, furniture is often chosen not as a set to last a lifetime, but as a collection of solutions tailored to a specific apartment. First, you cover the basics: a bed, a mattress, a table, a closet, lighting, a kitchen, and a place for shoes and outerwear. Then you add the things that make a home comfortable: warm lighting, a rug, thick curtains, plants, shelves, a workspace, and closed storage.

This approach is tied to renting and frequent moves. A good piece of furniture should be easy to take apart, fit into a different layout, and not require renovating the entire apartment around it. That’s why modular closets, neutral kitchens, simple tables, freestanding dressers, and furniture that can be purchased in pieces are so common in German homes.

Furnished apartments are also available, especially for the initial period after moving in. They’re convenient when you need to get settled quickly, but they’re usually more expensive than standard rentals and less suitable for those who want to customize the space to their own tastes.

What Kind of Furniture Do People Choose in Germany

German buyers often compare materials, dimensions, delivery times, and the possibility of renovations. Furniture is replaced not only for fashion reasons but also for practical ones: moving, having a child, working from home, a worn-out kitchen, a lack of storage, or the desire to replace a temporary solution with a more reliable one.

In modern apartments, the following work well:

• neutral color palette: wood, white, gray, beige, muted green, warm natural tones;
• built-in storage instead of visual clutter;
• a good dining table that can be used for guests, work, and children’s activities;
• spot lighting instead of a single bright lamp in the center;
• textiles that add warmth without the need for renovations;
• secondhand or vintage items paired with new basic furniture.

The popularity of the “Wohnküche”—a kitchen-living room combo—stems from the fact that a single space accommodates multiple activities at once: cooking, dining, working, and entertaining guests. In larger apartments, there may be a “Hauswirtschaftsraum” nearby—a utility room for laundry, storage, and household items. In a typical city apartment, tall cabinets, niches, dressers, and storage systems serve this purpose.

Where to buy furniture and decor

Germans usually mix and match several sources. This isn’t unusual: the kitchen might be from a design studio, the cabinets from IKEA, the lighting from a home improvement store, the chairs from Kleinanzeigen, and the dresser from a flea market.

Format	What to Look For	When It’s Appropriate
IKEA, Jysk, Mömax, Poco, Roller	basic beds, wardrobes, tables, textiles, storage systems	you need to furnish the apartment quickly and relatively inexpensively
XXXLutz, Höffner, Segmüller, kitchen studios	kitchens, sofas, wardrobes, dining sets, design and assembly	measurements, delivery, installation, and material selection are important
Classifieds, thrift stores, flea markets	vintage, solid wood, temporary furniture, items with character	on a tight budget or looking for a one-of-a-kind piece
Hornbach, OBI, Bauhaus	paint, shelves, lighting, fasteners, battens, hardware	I want to finish the apartment myself

Secondhand furniture in Germany isn’t just a matter of necessity. It’s a normal way to buy high-quality solid wood furniture, find a temporary solution, or cut costs when moving. The main thing is to understand in advance who is responsible for disassembling, removing, and transporting the item: “pickup” on Kleinanzeigen often means exactly that—you have to pick it up yourself.

Environmental Friendliness and Durability

In German interior design, there’s a growing emphasis not only on appearance but also on durability. When making a long-term purchase, it’s helpful to consider the materials, the structural integrity, the ability to replace parts, and clear environmental certifications. Some key certifications to look for include the Blauer Engel, the EU Ecolabel, and the Goldenes M.

These red flags don’t replace your own inspection, but they help weed out some impulse purchases. If furniture smells strongly of chemicals, is poorly assembled, or looks like a disposable item even in the store, it rarely proves to be a good investment for a long-term rental.

Kitchen, delivery, and prepayment

The most costly mistakes usually don’t involve wall colors, but rather the kitchen, delivery dates, and payment. The more expensive the order, the more important it is to have written terms: model, dimensions, appliances, installation, hookup, delivery date, liability for delays, and payment terms.

If furniture or a kitchen are delayed, a phone call to the store isn’t enough. It’s better to document the problem in writing and give the seller a reasonable extension. Under German law, when terminating a contract due to a delay, the logic of § 323 BGB is often considered, but in a specific situation, the text of the contract and the correspondence are what matter.

Online shopping isn’t always the same either. For standard goods, there’s usually a right of withdrawal, but a custom-made kitchen or furniture made to specific specifications may not be covered by the standard 14-day return policy. This is due to exceptions under § 312g of the German Civil Code (BGB). Therefore, custom orders cannot be treated as a standard “change my mind and return it” purchase.

A large prepayment is a risk in itself. It may be part of the contract, but it shouldn’t be treated as a harmless formality. Before paying, you should check the seller, the deadlines, the refund policy, the warranty, and who exactly is responsible for installation.

DIY and Rental Housing Rules

Heimwerken—do-it-yourself home improvements—is common in Germany. People assemble furniture themselves, paint walls, install shelves, replace light fixtures, plan storage, and adapt standard modules to fit their apartment. But rental housing remains just that: a rental.

Before undertaking any noisy or controversial work, check the Hausordnung (house rules) and the lease agreement. Minor improvements are usually allowed, but when you move out, you may be asked to fill in holes, restore the walls to their original condition, or remove any unauthorized alterations. If you’re not taking your furniture with you when you move——check the rules for Sperrmüll (bulky waste) and as well as the sorting and disposal guidelines in your municipality in advance.

A Practical Guide to Setting Up Your Home

1. Check what’s included in the apartment and what’s listed in the lease agreement.
2. Decide on the kitchen: keep it, buy it out, buy a new one, or make do temporarily with the bare essentials.
3. Get the essentials for sleeping, lighting, storage, and working.
4. Don’t rush into major decor decisions until you’ve figured out the layout of the apartment.
5. Compare new and used options: sometimes a temporary closet found on Kleinanzeigen is better than a rushed, expensive purchase.
6. Put all expensive transactions and Ablöse in writing.
7. Keep your options open for moving: in Germany, modularity is often more important than a perfect set.

German interior design isn’t about showing off wealth the moment you walk in the door. It’s about a home that gradually becomes comfortable: one that withstands daily life, moves, guests, working from home, and seasonal changes. That’s why coziness here is truly built piece by piece—but that’s precisely where its strength lies.