Before & After: Two Art Lovers Turn Their Small Chicago Cottage Into a Collector’s Paradise for $53K

The new dining area is defined by a set of Ikea floating shelves below the glass bricks. Xu and Becker painted the windowsills and the inset opening around the bricks blue. "Once the paint was on, it really made the frame glow with natural light," says Xu. "It was also a simple way to tie in their furnishings, like the checkered rug, and it inspired them to buy the pendant over the dining table."