The Evolution of a Pillow

Designer pillows are often the last thing that goes into a space, but it can be one of the most important elements. Pillows can complete a design by tying in the overall color scheme, add texture, balance, and create harmony. But, as easy as it seems, there is a lot that goes into taking a pillow from concept to reality. We thought we would share a few insights into what goes on behind the scenes to produce one of the most important and fun components of a space. 

We start with an amazing fabric selection that is based on the overall design of the space. Once we’ve selected the fabrics, the behind-the-scenes work truly takes place. Pillows have an endless range of sizes and making sure the correct sizes are used means we must design where each pillow will be placed with consideration to other pillows it will be paired with.  Often, we will place pillows on a floor plan and label each pillow with the correct fabric and sizes like shown in Figure 1.1. This gives us a full visual of the design.  

Layering heights are important so the colors and patterns can be showcased properly. Speaking of pillow sizes, here’s a designer tip, you need to order the pillow insert 2 inches larger than the actual finish size desired. This ensures the pillow is full and eliminates any loose fittings. 

After finalizing the details of how the pillows will be placed and sized, we move into getting the order to our work room. Many different designs are possible with pillows. So, there are a lot of questions, such as, do you have a contrast welt, self-welt, knife edge, overlay, or any added trim detail? These specifics must be included in order to send for an accurate quote. This is also important so the workroom can let us know the correct yardage requirements per fabric. We will include hand sketches to portray our designs and label the placement of the fabrics like shown in Figure 1.2.  

Workroom quotes can take up to several days to get back. In the meantime, we start getting the pricing for the inserts and price per yard for the selected fabrics so all we will need to do is plug in the quantities once the quote is received. The quote will include the labor costs as well and depending on the level of difficulty will determine the cost per pillow. 

Once pricing is complete, we add it to the created proposal for the room and send to the client for approval.  Once approved, we move into the internal ordering process. Pillows can have several fabrics, so one pillow could have several purchase orders to account for the complete product. This includes the pillow insert, pillow labor, and multiple fabrics. After orders have been placed, we then move into tracking and follow up.  Making sure the order was received correctly is critical, and then following up that our workroom receives everything to start production is also equally important. We want to be certain they are ready for the big reveal. 

A lot of attention to detail and time goes into making sure the final product is exactly what is envisioned. Although designing custom pillows can be a tedious process, it is always worth it.  Pillows are one-of-a-kind designs and are as unique as each of our projects.