This post comes about as a result of a trip to Whole Foods yesterday and my subsequent midnight gasp as I realized what I paid for a box of crackers. It was a trip of convenience really. I was in the Whole Foods neighborhood and I needed a few things for a relaxing dinner with my husband. That afternoon I was to host 12 lovely high-school juniors as they prepared themselves for prom and preened for photos with their parents (they were so lovely!) and I was running short on time. The stop would be a bit indulgent as I know Whole Foods is spendy; but my husband and I have been busy and working hard, so I thought I’d treat us.
But $85? The figure didn’t hit me until late into the night as I was reviewing the full day. Could the checker have made a mistake? Sure, I purchased a pound and a half of organic grass-fed beef for Sunday night burgers, but I knew what that would cost; a jug of fresh squeezed lemonade to go with vodka (12 girls and their finery and fluffery earlier in the day, remember?), but no, that was not out of line; the price tag for two tins of pre-made lasagna was definitely indulgent. There. On the sticky receipt I retrieved from the trash in the wee, dark hours was the cost for two boxes of crackers I impulsively selected to serve the pretty prepping prom girls. $8 per box. Two boxes. $16 for crackers. What was I thinking? How could a box of crackers possibly cost so much?
Then it hit me again: this must be how my clients feel when I share with them the cost of throw pillows, the exact-color-needed- throw pillows made with artful and fine fabric and that are really necessary to pull together their room’s look. The throw pillows stuffed with feather inserts which support the back just so and which always fluff to perfection. Crackers, throw pillows. I really must detail for my readers why custom throw pillows cost so much. Note the word custom. I’m not talking about mass produced throw pillows that can be purchased at Pier 1 or Target (think Saltines, yummy, but still Saltines.) I’m talking about carefully selected, edited and crafted pillows to finish off a space (think Whole Foods specialty crackers.)
Here’s The Math. Let’s create a 20″x20″ square pillow, finished off with tassel fringe around the edges and fluffed with feather inserts:
- Fabric Yardage: 1 yd @ $80/yard = $80
- Fringe Yardage: 2.5 yds @ 20/yard = $50
- Workroom Labor to Fabricate: $65
- Feather Insert: $30
- Shipping Costs for Fabric and Fringe: $10
Total Cost: $235
photo courtesy of Tobi Fairly Design
There you go. And this pillow is relatively inexpensive as far as custom pillows go. I’m working with clients now on a newly remodeled home filled with thoughtfully selected, expensive, contemporary furnishings and artwork and we’ve selected the most beautiful hand-blocked fabric for pillows. Hours of searching for the right colors, fibers and weaves and we landed on a perfect fabric from Lee Jofa/Groundworks. The cost per yard is $236. Plug that into the math above and that 20×20 throw pillow approaches $400.
photo courtesy of Lee Jofa
Fine fabrics are like fine artwork, fine wine and yes, fine crackers. They are crafted by skilled artists and often with expensive fibers like linen, mohair and fine cottons. These lovely works of art are almost always produced in limited quantities with few economies of scale to yield a low price. Then there is the skill of those in my workrooms who measure, cut, and sew and always get the seams, zipper enclosures and self-welts to haute-couture perfection.
Now you know. Fine throw pillows, fine art, fine wine and yes, fine crackers.
9 Responses to Really? A Throw Pillow?…Did You Know?
Sticker shock is right! I’m still not certain what my decision will be, but $1000 in pillows to cover my couch (that will ultimately land on the floor) is a bit much. However, your breakdown of individual costs incurred for each step of the pillow does make sense and at least leads me toward saying yes. If they last as long as my last pillows did that’s about $125 per year or less than $20 a pillow per year. *Sigh.* Thank you for the post!
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To reiterate PJI’s response, there is plenty of labor involved in seemingly simple projects of duvets/pillows and more, especially when high-end fabrics are used. The time and experience of a good workroom to ensure proper layout, sound seamwork, detail and finishing techniques, then finally quality-checks before item(s) go out, all lend credence to the adage ” a designer is only as good as their workroom”. Thank you for the post!
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Thanks for the additional comment Helen!
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wow, I guess I have a lot to learn. I just received a quote today that has lots of $400 pillows (w/o fringe) on the design proposal. That is what led me to your commentary (via search engine) = I wanted to better educate myself on the topic. What about a queen size duvet. $2000+ seems a bit steep. I know it depends on the fabric, but it doesn’t seem like there is a lot of labor in this product. And is it normal for the designer to charge upcharge on fabrics–seems like a bad system for this particular item b/c incentives not aligned
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Hi Jim,
I can appreciate your sticker shock. Keep in mind that as designers our value is in providing a blended collection of colors, textures and styles to create overall style, feeling and function for our clients. You are right that perhaps the perfect fabric for that duvet is something special (and expensive) that you could not have found anywhere else — but your designer did; then there is the quality of construction, and the quality and custom fit that makes it just perfect for you. There is care and thought that went into every aspect of the duvet/throw pillow/window treatment, etc. This duvet is not (should not be) one that you can find off the shelf at Macys.
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why would the fringe require 2.5X the fabric as the core pillow?
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Hi Jim,
The exact yardage to match the perimeter of the 20×20 throw pillow comes to 2.25 yards, however, my workroom always requests a bit additional to provide for sewing allowances, so I take it to 2.5 yds. Hope this helps!
-Laura
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I have been swindled @ Whole Foods too and loved the analogy with the custom pillow. So funny I always ask client if they have ever done custom pillows before I present it since I find that it shock the senses, especially of men. Love this post!
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Clever post! Really curious to know what you served with $8 crackers….!
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