This Designer’s Small NYC Apartment Is Full of Festive Holiday Decor Inspiration

“But because of that, I feel that I developed my Christmas style on my own terms, and it’s an extension of my personal style and a lot of it is learning by doing because I don’t know how to set up a tree perfectly. I don’t have as many of those sentimental ornaments in the ‘baby’s first Christmas’ sort of way.”

Adnan has been renting this 700-square-foot apartment in NYC since 2021, and describes this home’s look as wanting to “go all in on being surrounded by the things that I love, even if it is kind of sensory overload at times.” A British history major in college, he says there’s a lot of English furniture, but the entire apartment is a brilliant blend of eclectic inspiration. “I think having that mix of the traditional with the found, with the bohemian and worldly is very true to how I decorate outside of Christmas time as well.”

Adnan initially placed this year’s Christmas tree near the kitchen, but that didn’t quite feel right (the kitchen isn’t the strongest part of his apartment in his opinion). He also wanted to be able to look at the tree as much as possible. “So I ended up having my friend Dolly come over, and we rearranged everything and we moved the tree across the room. We tested out all the furniture,” he writes.

“And we ended up with a completely different layout,” which Adnan admits is probably not permanent. “But I think it’s worth it. I think Christmas season, even if it is ephemeral, is a special time. If it’s a little inconvenient, if things become a little more crowded, or you have to do some heavy lifting, the joy and the magic is worth it.”

Adnan’s home is packed with both everyday style and holiday inspiration, and the list below isn’t exhaustive. But I found seven ideas that have inspired me to add a little more holiday cheer into my home:

Adnan shares a little secret about the extra sparkle that’s on his Christmas tree: He grabs small crystals from chandeliers that have been thrown in the trash or seen at a flea market. He describes them as “practically free, especially if they’re mismatched, and I just throw them on a ornament anchor and they add a wonderful glimmer to the tree.”

Buy as much red ribbon as you can,” advises Adnan, who hangs red ribbon from his chandeliers and ties them around candlesticks, sconces, and even little brass figurines. He uses it to hang wreathes and ornaments. And you can even use it to fill in a sparse tree as you’re building your ornament collection.

“I try to mix different types of red ribbon, because I think it leads to a more dynamic, collected scheme,” writes Adnan, who does admit to avoiding curling ribbon. “My favorite texture is velvet ribbon, but you can’t get one with too thick of a pile or it’s hard to work with. You want it to still have some drape. I always mix in some grosgrain and satin as well.  I’ve had great luck with Target for velvet. I buy multiple widths to give me flexibility.” He also saves the ribbon on gifts he receives to “use the next year to help with variety in my stash.” And this year he also used this “sumptuous burgundy one” from Amazon for presents.

“For my garland over my fireplace, I just use the clippings from the Christmas tree stands that are all over the streets of New York,” writes Adnan, who he says even asks for them for free and then he stacks them up on the fireplace. On the dining table, Adnan chose “branches of red virburnum or ‘Eve Price’ in a tall shimmery amber glass vase. They last a long time, which is great for holiday entertaining. And they feel Christmas-y without competing with the tree and garland,” he writes.

“It might seem weird to use a wreath to block art, but I actually love hanging it this way because you see the face peeking through …” Adnan explains.

Adnan dries his own orange slices by slicing them thinly, and baking them in the oven at 180 or 200 degrees for a few hours. “And I use some red ribbon to lace through those and hang them on my tree, and they’re also great as decoration peppered throughout and they’re a nice thing to tie on presents,” he writes.

Adnan’s couch was custom-made by a workroom in North Carolina, and he had it covered in a very simple white denim, what he describes as a “dirt cheap fabric, which washes like a pair of jeans and gets comfier and comfier with age.” But because the cover is skirted, it gives him hidden storage for things like his Christmas ornaments and extra dinnerware.

He did not want to add a skirt to his bed frame, but did want to have storage under there, too. “So what I do is I try to leave about a quarter on each side empty so that you can’t see what’s underneath there,” he explains of his under-bed space, which holds a folding table, lots of boxes of LaCroix, a printer, and some more Christmas things.

“I actually have a secret playlist that I use for all my holiday parties, and it is the Tory Burch Holiday Cocktail playlist from 2019,” Adnan shares.

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.