I can’t quite create a winter wonderland in an apartment, but I can come someway close! Space is limited so you need to make great design choices to make the most of the Christmas feel.

In this post I’ll share some of those ideas.

Creating a festive atmosphere in an apartment is all about maximizing space and spreading holiday cheer.

Start with a small, decorated tree—tabletop trees or wall-hung alternatives save space while adding charm.

Incorporate string lights on windows, shelves, or bed frames to brighten the room.

Add festive throw pillows or blankets for cozy vibes. Hang stockings on walls, door hooks, or mantels if available.

Scented candles with cinnamon or pine bring warmth without taking up much room. Don’t forget wreaths or garlands—great for doors and windows. With a few thoughtful touches, even a small apartment can radiate Christmas magic.

The 23 Best Apartment Christmas Decor

1. Minimalist Apartment Christmas Decor

When I apply this same sterling-silver-minimalist vision to Christmas in my apartment, it both calms me and helps me to keep things sane. I concentrate on high contrast in clean lines and subtle touches.

The tree is small and natural, with only white lights and plain ornaments. Natural materials – wood, burlap – act as soft backdrops.

Cozy throws and pillows are then added in muted tones. And simple evergreen branches can fill in where selective accents otherwise leave gaps.

2. Scandinavian Apartment Christmas Decor

In an apartment, I love Scandi Christmas style. It just feels so pure and natural – the total essence of the season, encapsulated in a simple, minimalist design.

Think of soft whites and pastels; garlands made of snow; wool and linen; a couple of simple wooden (or rattan) accents; lots of candles. Winter is about bringing nature inside, so I add evergreen and pinecones.

Clean lines and greys and whites, and a neutral palette, convey serenity. Nothing feels out of place – everything just belongs.

The look is festive but serene. It’s homely but it’s also about harmonious simplicity.

3. Rustic Apartment Christmas Decor

Christmas decorations in my small apartment should be rustic and cosy. In order to create such a mood, natural materials are used more often than mass-produced items.

I put several pinecones and branches of evergreen plants in the house. Wooden ornaments go in the Christmas tree and burlap ribbons adorn the gifts.

Soft and plaid blankets lie on the sofa. 

Wreaths from twigs and berries are hung on the walls. This way the holiday season becomes really more natural and close to the earth as aggressively commercialised mass celebrations seem fake.

4. Vintage Apartment Christmas Decor

During Christmas season, I turn my house into a small wonderland, remembering past holidays and using vintage decorations from all those years before. I put up pretty glowing lights in warm hues and ornaments that glisten from an old fashioned tree, and my collection of old-timey stockings made of lace and velvet adorn the corners of every room..

5. Boho Apartment Christmas Decor

At Christmas, a boho space feel warm and open-minded. Earthy tones with natural textures make my flat feel cosy, and the tree is decorated with beautiful macramé ornaments for that boho touch.

Scattered soft and shaggy rugs in rich colors add that magical touch to the neutral furniture. Fairy lights adorn the walls and cast a soft glow.

6. Traditional Apartment Christmas Decor

When it comes to thinking about ways to delightedly decorate my apartment for Christmas, I am all for the traditional forms of elegance: large, traditional festive decorations. For instance, I love to use classic ornaments such as glass baubles of red, green and gold color.

A real or artificial tree dressed with white and glowing light bulbs forms the focal point of my apartment. The door receives a lush, green wreath and stockings are carefully placed on the mantel.

Plaid and tartan fabrics are lovingly placed over the sofa’s cushions and blankets. Candles light up a warm and soft glow, while cute little nutcrackers and snow globes are adorning the scene.

With these items, the holiday spirit can start spreading across my home.

7. Modern Apartment Christmas Decor

The trick to turning my apartment into an ultra-cool Christmas hideaway is all about avoiding tackiness and Christmas kitsch. Minimalist ornaments are the key player here: metals and glasses seem to fit in perfectly, whilst adding a touch of festive cheer.

As far as the color scheme goes, black and white is the dream. As long as it is monochromatic, you are already halfway there.

I like to add a touch of gold, silver, white and black – it just looks so chic. Softness is the key as far as textures go: the more fur throws and cushions, the better.

LED string lights are perfect: they give out a warm glow but do not look messy at all. A dwarf/tabletop tree is essential, but make sure it looks super-simple, as otherwise it will look too busy and too childish.

Overall, sticking to a super-cool theme with minimal clutter and accentuating a refined and tasteful ambience is the winning formula for an ultra-neat Christmas hideaway.

8. Eclectic Apartment Christmas Decor

I like combining things that will make for a festive and fun holiday mood. When it comes to decorating for Christmas, an apartment looks pretty much anything but on-theme.

I like a hodgepodge of vintage ornaments, bright strands of fairy lights and quirky ornaments. A knitted Rudolph could sit next to a metallic reindeer, while plastic faux-silken garlands are combined with homemade paper chains.

Patterns and textures are clashing in a most wonderful way. The tree has a veritable heap of baubles on it that tell a story and everything comes together in a beautiful, cheerful creative explosion of Christmas joy that looks like nothing else than the place it lives in.

9. Glam Apartment Christmas Decor

Winter is the season for decorating the simple apartment into a winter wonderland and I love to use rich textures and luxurious glittering elements to bring in the Christmas magic. Starting with metallic shades, I like to add gold, silver, rose gold and metallic silver paint to spice up the decor.

I unashamedly layer different rich textures such as velvet, faux fur and sequins. I never skip on the ornaments, making sure they are crystal or shiny, and the lights twinkle.

A chic tree is a must, with glittering baubles. I love to position mirrored and metallic accessories around the space and this decor style makes the festive season feel more opulent, while maintaining the warming and cosy vibe that makes the season so special.

10. Coastal Apartment Christmas Decor

I aim to bring a hint of the coast into the festivities at Christmas. When I decorate an coastal apartment for the season I stick to ocean-themed colors, pastel blues and sandy tones providing the backdrop for gentle-hued, delicate seashell ornaments and starfish trinkets, twinkling white lights hanging like sunlight glints off the rippling sea or driftwood wreaths and garlands binding it all together in that most natural of beach-style ways.

Nautical ropes and anchor motifs add to the seafaring vibe. Everything contributing to a calm and festive holiday decor that absorbs the ocean’s soothing spirit and the warmth of season’s greetings for a holiday season that brings the best of both worlds together in one perfect package.

11. Farmhouse Apartment Christmas Decor

When decorating a home for holidays, there is nothing quite like transforming a cosy apartment into a farmhouse holiday cottage. Natural, warm ribbons of burlap, wooden ornaments and scent of the season with soft lighting from string lights and candles creates a warm glow.

Classic plaid throw blankets and touches of galvanized metal create a traditional rustic home, while pine wreaths and garlands bring nature indoors. Handmade details like knitted stockings or a rustic centrepiece complement this decor style.

Clean lines and simple finishes make this decorating style warm and welcoming. A traditional decor style that exudes farmhouse charm, with just the right amount of homemade decorations.

It’s the perfect combination of homey and holiday.

12. Industrial Apartment Christmas Decor

Industrial apartment Christmas decor merges raw, edgy elements with holiday merriment. Think concrete, steel, and exposed brick mixed with sparkling lights and rustic decor.

Consider metallic finishes and reclaimed wood for an edgy urban vibe. String Edison bulbs with garland for warm, ambient light, and add greenery like pine or holly for softening touches.

Vintage decor like distressed lanterns or metal stars add to the rugged aesthetic. It’s charming in a Christmas kind of way but maintains a gritty, industrial ambience.

13. Monochrome Apartment Christmas Decor

Black-and-white decorations make my apartment look classy and modern. I think that Christmas becomes more fashionable when you surround yourself with elegant, simple decorations.

I love the look of black and white .. Black and silver sets and decorations catch the light and look festive.

White fluff and black gloss make real Christmas. You can use different textures – from fluffy white wool to shiny black glass tables.

If you have been using more conservative holiday colours, this palette is a great change. The space looks chic and stylish, especially with a few careful pieces here and there.

14. Whimsical Apartment Christmas Decor

Christmas is my favorite time of year for decorating an apartment. I live in a city so I like to escape from the hustle and bustle with my Christmas decor.

My space is filled with things that don’t necessarily look expensive or sophisticated, but are colorful and cute. I love the big candy canes and shiny baubles that bear no resemblance to the cavities and cholesterol they actually represent.

I even have a tree with completely unexpected baubles. My fairy lights are hung everywhere.

The giant paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling are as close my apartment will get to dreamy. My table is set with mismatched, bright dishes, too.

15. Classic Red and Green Apartment Christmas Decor

I like to turn N apartment into a Christmas wonderland. The classic red and green Christmas theme spreads Christmas spirit all over my home.

I start with a big and green wreath on my front door decorated with a red ribbon. On the sofa in THE living room, I place a couple of red pillows and a green throw to keep myself warm.

I hang shiny red and green ornaments like Christmas baubles from a small pine tree in the living room. The beautiful candlelight reflecting on the red tablecloth in the dining room shines its Christmas heartwarming red color.

With these two classic Christmas colors, AN apartment feels like the home from Christmas times ages past.

16. Pastel Apartment Christmas Decor

All trees and soft lighting are pink, mint and lavender, full of dangling delicate pastel ornaments and gently blinking lights.

Pastel stockings hanging sweetly above the fireplace are just a subtle hint of merriment, expressive and unobtrusive. Soft blankets and throw pillows are scattered around the sofa in gentle tones, inviting everyone to relax.

A gentle pastel wreath and some tinsel hang from the wall, a gentle run of dangling wreaths and garlands around the room, a soft touch of Christmas here and there. It’s a gentle celebration of the holiday, not too blatant, but a soft and inviting touch from every corner of my home.

17. Metallic Apartment Christmas Decor

Metallic Apartment Christmas Decor allows you to transform your space into a winter wonderland by incorporating shimmering metallic tones. Gold, silver, and bronze are especially fashionable and can add a modern twist to traditional holiday decorations.

I love metallic accents on the tree, as ornaments that incorporate even a glimmer of gold or silver catch the light and bring a tree to life. Sleek metallic candle holders and reflective garlands bring a shiny element to your decor and unify the look throughout the apartment.

This style fits in perfectly with minimal designs and elevates your Christmas decor into something patently more modern and stylish.

Celebrating the holidays with metallic accents allows you to glam up your space and bring a sophisticated shine to your home.

18. Natural Apartment Christmas Decor

An apartment can be full of the organic ambience of nature for the season. Use pinecones and evergreen branches to deck the halls, along with some wooden ornaments.

A simple twig wreath warms the welcome symbolism of the door. Then place candles in natural tones around the space to enhance the soft glow.

Garlands made of dried citrus with a sprinkling of cinnamon sticks bring a rustic aroma to the home. Each element flows so organically into the space, and the holiday-themed touches enhance my home without overpowering it.

19. Woodland Apartment Christmas Decor

Rustic elements are brought into the flat through the pinecones, branches and woolly fabrics, appearing right at home amongst the bits and bobs.

Warm golden hues complete the festive look and are echoed in the soft candlelight and twinkling fairy lights that adorn the interior, evoking the starlit nights of winter. A touch of plaid here and there adds that classic woodland vibe we all love, while the small deer and owls amongst the decorations lend a playful forest atmosphere.

The soft glow of the candle light flickers softly, casting gentle shadows and bringing to mind the peace of a wintery night. The various organic elements, scenes, and colours of nature unite to turn my apartment into a calm festive forest.

20. Plaid Apartment Christmas Decor

Nothing says cozy, Christmas time apartment quite like the patterned warmth of plaid. One of those classic patterns that just never go out of style, plaid will always be associated with a holiday traditional feel.

Holidays are always felt a little more at home with plaid, blended into throw pillows, blankets, and even table cloths. Colours like red, green, and white can still play nicely together while adding a traditional and classic holiday feel.

Draping plaid ribbons on a tree, or draping plaid stockings on the mantle are easy ways a person can tie different pieces together in a living space. So simple, yet so wonderfully holiday warm.

Plaid always feels festive and warm to me.

21. Geometric Apartment Christmas Decor

Adding geometric Christmas decorations to your apartment adds a modern twist to the holiday vibe. The clean lines and shapes, and incorporation of angles in your decorations – triangles, hexagons, and stars – creates a stylish, sleek aesthetic.

Weaving in metallic ornaments and angular wreaths brings in an element of elegance without overpowering the room. String lights in geometric shapes cascade down your apartment, lighting up the corners of your apartment in a warm glowing light.

Combining classic holiday colours with a bold, structured design creates a homely, yet modern look. The decor is understated but effective, and makes a modern apartment feel festive and celebratory.

22. Nautical Apartment Christmas Decor

The sea and sailing become part of my Christmas. Shells like ornaments become snowflakes, while cerulean blue and white garlands hang along shelves and window ledges, evoking the waves of the ocean.

There are no snowmen. Starfish and sailors’ knots take some of the places of traditional baubles.

There’s an anchor and a sailing boat for each branch of my little tree. Soft, sandy hues are combined with touches of silver from the trees and stars, keeping the space light and breezy, while all the touches of gold and silver make it festive.

Lighthouse-shaped candleholders bring a warming glow to a cosy, sea-inspired evening around my little tree.

23. Art Deco Apartment Christmas Decor

Trying to eke out a bit of sophistication by Christmas-theming my apartment with an Art Deco fin de siècle. Jewel tones, shiny gold, sleek black, geometric ornaments and garlands, metallics all over the tree, bold geometric or optical patterns, a touch of mirrored surfaces… candlelight from some tasteful blocky candle holders… sumptuous velvet pillow round out the couch for a festive, glamorous chill.