WAS [the newsletter] #10

Just Do It Already

February 02, 2024

I’m Paige Wassel. WAS the Newsletter is your weekly dose of design inspiration, making your (waffle) house a (waffle) home. 

A PA(I)GE FROM MY LIFE

When I’m not out doing random shit, I also like to:

  • take a gd bath. The months of October - February.. bath season. iPad, Dr. Bronner’s soap, candle, and maybe my iPhone.. depending on how much I want to disassociate. Double electronics will do that for ya.

  • eat rice and kimchi. The simpler the meal the more I will make. Bought myself this CUTE AF rice cooker to make life easy. And yes, I wash my rice.

  • wear knee high socks. Helps de-bloat my swollen ankles.

When not on my sofa, I do enjoy a park hang.

THIS WEEK’S THRIFTED FINDS - CHARLESTON

What do I do when I don’t have the time to wait six months for that piece on backorder, or I don’t have the budget to pay for what I want? I buy secondhand. You should, too. I’m shopping in Charleston this week and here’s the best of what’s on the market:

What are you waiting for?

LITTLE UPGRADES, BIG IMPACT

A question I get all the time is, “Can I make my space look better with limited time and money?”

Well, I’d say, “You can do it and I can help,” but that exact $350M advertising campaign landed Home Depot in mediation with a small Florida hardware chain for trademark infringement years ago. (They kept using the slogan, so I imagine someone got a nice check.) My point remains that tiny, inexpensive upgrades can make a big difference, and they’re all things you can do.

Here’s how to go about it:

  • Paint Your Doors. First, a caveat; I’m not one for painting over nice wood. But if you have ugly, outdated, hollow, or cheap slatted wooden doors, you should for sure paint them pretty. White paint will freshen them up and black paint will add interest. Color too. Why not? This is an easy, affordable change that packs a big result.

  • Switch the Door Knobs. This is a quick change with a lot of impact. I had dated swirly silver knobs in my Chicago place, so I upgraded them with sleek black modern doorknobs. You can also add a lot of interest to your doors if you go for vintage knobs from a thrift store or Etsy.

  • Switch Your Cabinet Knobs, Too. One of the easiest projects you can undertake is swapping out your kitchen hardware. Total kitchen remodels are incredibly pricey, but you can absolutely give your kitchen a refresh with new knobs. Ditto goes for anything with a pull, like a dresser or nightstand.

  • Add Wainscoting or a Chair Rail. You don’t have to know finish carpentry to make your home look custom-built with architectural interest. You can buy pre-made pieces from Home Depot or Wayfair and simply paint and hang them yourself.

  • Hang Shelving. If you’ve got a blank space, baby, I’ll write your name hang some shelves. The hardware store will even cut them to whatever length you’d like. Kate did this and instead of leaving the shelves a plain color, she painted them dark green and propped them up with light blue L-brackets, and they make her whole wall pop now.

  • Trash the Boob Light. I don’t know when or why this ubiquitous fixture was suddenly everywhere, but it is. Fortunately, this is a simple fix. You can get a great, inexpensive piece of lighting anywhere and if you’re not comfortable hanging it yourself, a Task Rabbit can come to your place in an hour for about $70.

  • Hide What’s Hideous. That nasty electrical box in the center of your wall that makes you sad every time you pass it? Get a piece of art or a corkboard the same size and hang it over the box. (Art is almost always the solution to everything.) If you’re worried about driving nails around it, use a Command Strip and don’t hang anything too heavy, so it’s still easy to access.

  • Paint Over It. Paint makes everything better. I’m not saying you have to take the weekend and tackle a whole room, because that’s often more work than you’d think, with the moving and taping and draping. Instead, find a small space to paint, like a nook, alcove, or a little hallway. Maybe even the interior of a hutch. Paint always adds your personal brand to the space and that’s the kind of touch that makes your place unique.

Seriously. This stuff takes an hour or two. Like the current ad says, don’t you want to be a doer who gets more done?

KATE’S PAINT COLOR OF THE WEEK

Benjamin Moore: Lightning Storm (inspired by my favorite mustard)

Finish: Any

Room Light Level: Any

xx,
P