Name: Jen Schuetz and Naz Hamid
Profession: Jill-of-All-Trades and Designer
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Size: 1200 Square Feet
Years lived in: 2 1/2
Type: 2 Bedroom Apartment

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We first met Naz around 2000, when we were both members of a fledgling Chicago bloggers group. Later, we had an opportunity to write together when he co-founded Gapers Block, with Andrew Huff. During these past 8 years, it has been our pleasure to know this creative, great individual. When we saw the apartment Naz and his wife, Jen, a talented photographer, had created together we knew a tour was in order...

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A lovely, open space with great flow, Jen and Naz's apartment seamlessly combines vintage finds, like complete bedroom set previously belonging to Jen's great aunt and a dentist chair, with iconic pieces such as an Eames Molded Plywood. The great personal DIY touches displayed throughout -- Naz's silk screened posters, the cardboard letters over the headboard, Jen's work on the dress form -- let their personalities come through. The total effect is charming, modern and eclectic.

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Naz and Jen's Survey

My Style: Americana, mid-century modern, minimal, clean and fun.

Inspiration: Mid-century, classic Americana, things that endure.

Favorite Element(s): Sitting corner in living room; the office - I spend all day in there.

Biggest Challenge: Finding what we wanted. It takes time, especially when you want to avoid off-the-shelf mass-produced items, but it's sometimes unavoidable. Also, colour since we can't paint.

What Friends Say: They like the colour, brightness and space.

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Biggest Embarrassment: The bathroom.

Proudest DIY: Our "fake" sconces. Construction paper!

Biggest Indulgence: Other people's places. We're pseudo voyeuristic, looking into people's spaces while walking by to see how they did their space.

Best Advice: Be creative in sourcing materials. Sometimes, solutions are in the simplest and obvious places. Re-appropriating items for other uses is what did a lot of good for us.

Dream Source: We don't really think of a dream source but more of dream items - things that we have in mind but either don't exist or we haven't found.

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Resources:
Dining Room
Bench - Ikea
Pillows and drapes - Urban Outfitters
Table - Target, Thomas O'Brien
Chairs - CB2
Rugs - Cost Plus World Market
Bar Stools - Praha (a vintage shop on Lincoln)

Living Room
Rug - Crate and Barrel
Coffee Table - Ikea
Chairs - Vintage
Sectional - Ikea
Book Shelf and Side Tables - Value City Furniture
Square Bookshelves - Container Store
Lamps - CB2
Sewing Machine - Vintage
Pillows - Etsy and CB2
Drapes - CB2
TV Stand - Ikea
Magazine Rack - Container Store

Bedroom
Bed - CB2
Side Tables and Dresser - Vintage Set
Drapes - Cost Plus World Market
Frames - CB2 and Ikea
Floor Lamp - CB2
Table Lamp - Ikea
Bedding - Bed, Bath & Beyond

Office
Desks - CB2
Bins - Ikea
Shelves - Ikea
Chairs and Ottoman - Ikea
Rugs - Cost Plus World Market and Ikea
Lamps - Ikea
Frames - Ikea
File Cabinets - CB2 and Ikea

Thanks, Jen and Naz for the tour, and to Evan for the photos!