WAS [the newsletter] #20

Spent

I’m Paige Wassel. WAS the Newsletter is your weekly dose of design inspiration, where every pillow is a sell-out.

Remember in school when your teacher decided to play a video during class? Walking in and seeing the AV cart with the big TV on it was cause for celebration. As an adult, I finally realize that my teachers were probably just recovering from a happy hour that got a lil’ too happy.

Same thing is happening with me now, only it’s not due to dollar margaritas. I’m spent from the pillow drop, my bedroom restyling, and having mono. So, much like everyone’s World History teacher, here’s a video for you to enjoy:

JUST SAY NO TO THESE RECENT TRENDS

I haven’t put any trends on blast for a while, so it’s high time to bring that back. If I let this newsletter get too upbeat, too positive and supportive, everyone’s going to be painting terra cotta arches with abandon, so it’s time to be stern again.

Thus, here are some of the 2024 trends that my interior design friends and I would like to slap out of everyone’s hands:

TV-Centered Rooms. Do you live in the White House Situation Room? No. Unless you have a separate and distinct media room, you shouldn’t be centering your design around a giant screen. Of course have a TV if you want one, but don’t make it the star of the show.
Gutting Everything. This doesn’t apply unilaterally, especially if you’re dealing with damage. However, if you can when you’re updating a space, leave something original. Maybe it’s one wood cabinet, maybe it’s interesting drawer pulls or a funky faucet. You’ll save a few bucks and you’ll preserve some character.
Whitewashed Brick. Listen, sometimes you have to do something about bad brick in your home. But instead of half-assing it with a whitewash finish, I suggest whole-assing it by painting it all the way white, as the results look far better.
The All-Marble Bathroom. This tip is from my pal Nick Lewis. Unless you’re staying at the Four Seasons, he hates an all-marble bathroom. It’s too cold and it’s too sterile. Ditto goes for all-quartz, especially when the workers who make the countertops are getting lung damage because of it.
The Glass Dining Table. Do you like seeing people’s crotches while you eat? My friend Matt King doesn’t. Glass is too hard to style and glass tables never look as good as their wooden counterparts. Yeah, glass can open up a space if it’s tight, and granted, you can take a shot of your cat’s toe beans if you’re underneath, but those don’t seem like reasons enough for a glass table.
Silly Shape Overload. Per my buddy Caroline Winkler, let’s cool it on all the rainbow-shaped rugs and flower-petal scalloped tables. A piece or two is fine, but your room can go all Pee-Wee’s Playhouse if you’re not careful.
Low-Quality DIYs. My friend Arvin Olano has strong opinions about shitty DIY, particularly paint-sopped furniture flips. Painting something just won’t look as good as vintage piece with its original patina. Hit the thrift shops and I promise you’ll find what you want, with no DIY required.