I’m Paige Wassel. WAS the Newsletter is your weekly dose of design inspiration, where we love to brag about cool shit in our homes.

If there’s one thing we love, it’s things. Thrifted things, new things, old things, kinda-ugly-but-also-kinda-cute things.

Every piece has a story. So I’ve decided to start asking people about the things they love and why they love them. And what better place to start than the gals I work with.

PAIGE

Sailboat Lighter – While in Mexico City I found this lighter at one of the many flea markets we went to. Does it work? No. Will I get it fixed? Actually yeah I will lol. Do I send this exact pic to the men I am talking to on the internet to impress? Yup. 

Art by Ish Lipman – I presented a few different pieces by Ish to an interior design client. They ended up putting all art purchasing on hold for a few months…but I couldn’t resist purchasing something. He’s a tiny little guy but I love him SM!! 

Thrifted Painting – If you haven’t watched my video on the Brimfield Antique Fair, go give it a looksy. It’s by far my favorite video made to date. I found this guy in one of the booths (blanking the name of the actual booth, SHIT!), but he kinda reminds me of John Krasinski, I also like to call him my cuck…………..

KATE

Living room floor lamp – I sourced this for a client, but we decided against it because she has cats, and they would’ve destroyed it. Now it’s mine, lol. It creates the best ambiance. I even use it in the daytime.

Living room rug – It’s a huge star with a lot going on. I typically don’t go for things like this, but something about the black, and the cream and the fact that it’s not really me made me love it. The rug sat in my etsy favorites for a few months and one day I said fuck it, I know it’ll work, and I was right. It’s the piece I get the most quotations about.

Eye Wall Light – It’s not at my house, it’s at Office Supplies, but it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever purchased. A wall light from Germany from the early 2000s (I think). I’m obsessed with it.. Will I actually sell it? Probably not. It feels like a piece I will have forever. It creates a star brust on the wall when it’s lit.

Knoll Laccio Table – Got this from FMBP and it makes me feel very adult. I have a roset ligne sofa, and some designer lamps, but this feels different because it’s knoll. I love this table so much. It’s a great size for my space and it’s quite low. Maybe one day I’ll get the small laccio to hover over top, but if that happens it’ll be in a different space. 

Prints from Mexico – I found these two prints at the flea market in Mexico and had them framed locally. Paige found the frame, so I gotta give her credit, but god damn, I’m so into these. The color of the frame is crazy. It almost looks illuminated. The prints are very in line with the art I’m drawn to, and something about the cat and the skeleton feel very me. The framing is giving me lots of ideas for my next round of framing. You will see soon <3 

PIA

Porcelain Planter – I wish I knew more of its history but I love this find because my partner and I stumbled upon it on our way home from something in Washington Heights NYC. The guy selling it knew nothing about it and gave it to us for a great price. We felt like we were scamming him because it seems like something worth so much more than what we got it for. It is HEAVY and the two of us carried it up our 5-story walk up and then brought it all the way to LA when we moved lol. Now it's our conversation piece. 

Vintage bottle coaster – Didn’t know what a bottle coaster was. Thought this was a very pretty catch all and now I use it as my garlic holder and I think its better that way. 

Bits and bobs – My mom is a kitchen counter hoarder. It’s something that was passed down to me. I love unnecessary bowls and baskets of things and plants. No one has ever touched those nuts but they look nice in a used/vintage dessert coupe. Everything pictured was thrifted for under $4 per item and I feel like they add so much life to my kitchen. 

MAREN

Thrifted Art – I saw this gal and her birds on FBMP and was immediately drawn to her because she reminds me of Coraline…a little bit creepy, a little bit sweet. Also, great colors.

Glass Lamp – Found this Italian modernist lamp for an absolute STEAL and I just love how it lights up in the bottom and the top, and I think the steel, eye-shaped base is very interesting. The glass softens the light just perfectly. I adore how it adds tons of warmth and glowiness to my living room. 

Vintage Dice – I like keeping dice around–I have a friend that always carries a die as a reminder to take chances in life, to just go for things, and I really like that sentiment. When I found this random assortment of dice on Etsy I just had to get them. 

Lobster Dish – This is an Arthur Court lobster serving dish. But I use it to hold my keys and sunglasses. I like how the fish has a little red eye. What secrets does she have?

xx,
P