Photograph: Jakob N. Layman
When digital-content strategist Chris Haines relocated to New York from Washington, D.C., in 2008, he traded a 1,000-square-foot duplex in Adams Morgan for a 545-square-foot rental in Midtown East. “There are carve-outs in the walls, so I tried to apply color to show that there were different shapes and make the place seem larger,” he says of his space-maximizing strategies. The catch is that Haines is color-blind. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t see color, but I see every color differently than you do. I don’t make any paint choices or major expenses without sign-offs from several friends.”

Apartment tour: Studio in Midtown East

Digital-content strategist Chris Haines packs his NYC penthouse with exotic accents from unexpected sources.

Thursday September 20 2012

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Chris Haines, a digital-content strategist and D.C. transplant, lets us peek inside his Midtown East apartment. He shops at flea markets and home-decor stores such as Calypso St. Barth Home to create his midcentury–inflected abode filled with African art.

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Broome Lampshades 325 Broome St at Chrystie St (212-431-9666, lampshadesny.com) Haines favors custom, adjustable lighting for its more subtle characteristics and spruces up most of his flea-market finds with shades from this affordable shop. “They turn things around really well,” he enthuses. “Every time I go in there, people think I’m a designer and start asking me to pick shades for them.”

Calypso St. Barth Home 407 Broome St between Centre and Lafayette Sts (212-925-6200, calypsostbarth.com) This home-decor branch of the upscale chain stocks bedding, housewares and tabletop items with an elegant, island-tinged sensibility. “The items are nice but casual,” he enthuses. “It’s not fussy.”

Decor Art Gallery 555 Third Ave between 36th and 37th Sts (212-725-6787, decorartgallery.net) Though this shop specializes in posters and framing services, the skilled staffers can also size glass. “A friend of mine told me they cut mirrors, so I went there to get custom pieces made for my closet doors,” notes Haines.

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