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Name: Andrew Schultz & John Tyler
Location: Berwyn, Illinois
Size: 900 square feet
Years lived in: 1 — owned

I've seen the way Andrew and John can create an amazing display of furniture and accessories, like the one we saw at The Vintage Bazaar. If they can do that in a big space in just an hour's time, I reasoned, imagine what their home must look like!

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Andrew and John are the stylish fellows behind Study, a color and design service. Their booth is always one of the first to jump out at me at events because it is always impeccably styled with amazing pieces. Naturally, their home is equally lovely.

The couple have only been in their Berwyn bungalow for about a year but they've already made it look like a stylish abode. From ripping up the carpet to expose the hardwood floors, to deciding to accept (and even accentuate) the pink and blue tile in the bathroom, these boys really know how to work with a space.

While they may have been reticent to stain the bedroom floor black, I am in love with it! In addition to creating a clear demarcation from the rest of the house, the dark floor seems to accentuate the room's mood. It's enough to convince me that everyone's bedroom should have a dark stained floor!

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: Traditional with strong contemporary and modern influences - collected, curated and evolving.

Inspiration: 1920-70's, vintage brass, antique & contemporary art, nature.

Favorite Element: Our gilt wheat sheaf coffee table. There's a lot of variation out there when it comes to these tables and we looked and looked... finally we found one that is the perfect mix of organic, vintage and just flashy enough to make us happy.

Biggest Challenge: The hardwood floors. After removing carpeting and literally thousands of staples, we stripped away an extremely gunky layer of urethane. It was unreal... way more difficult than any floor refinishing we've ever attempted.

What Friends Say: We've been here just under a year and the few people we've had over usually encounter us amidst a messy remodel project that overtakes the entire house. But most have said they love the living room... that it's bright, intimate and comfortable.

Biggest Embarrassment: Right now it's the lack of quarter round molding that was removed during the floor refinishing. We were so burnt out after that, we just decided to move on to other projects. Yes, it's an incredibly small detail, but it makes a world of difference. We now have enough emotional distance from that experience to finally get back to another project involving the floor.

Proudest DIY: Installing a new pedestal sink and faucet in the bathroom was a huge achievement for Andrew. The updated fixtures elevate the very pink and blue space. Also, going forward with the stained black floor in the bedroom was a small victory for John. People freak out when you tell them you're going to stain a floor black, but it's created just the right feel in that space and we love it.

Biggest Indulgence: Collectively we tend to spend more on art than any other element. Other than that the single most costly contemporary item in our house is the Thomas Moser dining room table. Biggest splurge on a vintage piece: the Paul McCobb chair and ottoman in our living room.

Best Advice: Use key high end furniture pieces and quality fixtures and finishes to elevate your thrift store finds. Every space should have an "A" piece, a couple of "B" items and from there everything else just happens naturally. Also, don't be afraid to mix contemporary pieces with vintage. Mainstream retailers are not always the enemy and our living room sofa is a good example. It's from Crate and Barrel but really holds its own in a room filled with a few design heavyweights.

Dream Sources: We'd love to spend a little more freely at auction houses, but that also takes some of the fun out of finding really amazing vintage pieces for next to nothing. We're all about the thrill of the hunt and are perfectly content sourcing the way we always have: everything from estate sales to the Salvation Army.

Resources of Note:

LIVING ROOM

    • Azure Sofa: Crate and Barrel
    • Reupholstered Paul McCobb Chair and Ottoman: Room Service
    • Sideboard: Paul McCobb for Calvin
    • Burled Nesting Tables: George Nakashima for Widdicomb

DINING ROOM


DEN

    • Oasis Sofa: CB2
    • Bladon Conner Yellow box: Scout

BEDROOM


Thanks, Andrew and John!

Images: Jason Loper

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