When it comes to pillows, Liz Saintsing likes to think outside the box. The Charlotte-based maker believes that with the right fabrics and trimmings, cushions can moonlight as functional works of art. “I want my work to feel collected rather than manufactured,” she tells Business of Home. “[These are] pieces with character that invite conversation and help a home feel layered, personal and truly lived in.”
After studying printmaking and intaglio etching at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, Saintsing moved to San Francisco and taught herself how to silk-screen, then launched a small business selling vintage handbags adorned in hand-printed motifs. “Printmaking taught me to value texture, layering and process,” she says. “It was an incredibly creative and formative time.”
Following several years on the West Coast, Saintsing relocated to Charlotte and began printing textiles on silks and linens. She signed up for an intensive upholstery sewing course at a local community college, and decided to start making decorative pillows. In 2025, she rolled out her first line of small-batch cushions. “It felt like a natural marriage of everything I loved—surface design, textiles, craftsmanship and functional art,” she says. “I experimented with combinations such as stripes paired with florals, leather welts alongside structured plaids, and tapestry fabrics finished with delicate beaded trims. Unexpected pairings create tension, interest and balance.”
Handicraft is at the heart of Saintsing’s work. She frequently sources high-end handwoven fabrics from brands such as Brunschwig & Fils and Alice Sergeant, as well as artisan-made embellishments from Schumacher and Samuel & Sons. She then cuts, serges, sews and finishes every pillow herself, a slow and intentional process that ensures each piece is thoughtfully made and unique. She also orders textiles in small yardages to limit production. “Knowing there are only a handful of each design allows me to focus on craftsmanship and keeps the work connected to the human hand behind it,” says the designer. “Exceptionally crafted details are what bring the final pieces to life.”
For her latest line, she used different textiles on the front and back of each pillow for added versatility, including a graphic checkered fabric from Pierre Frey with a pineapple-clad style by Thorp of London on the reverse. She also experimented with new decorative details, such as ruffles and knotted cording. “Compared to earlier designs, this collection feels more confident and expressive,” she says.
Currently hard at work on her next launch—which will include cushions fashioned from an assortment of vintage textiles she found in Paris—Saintsing also regularly collaborates with interior designers on bespoke pillows for their projects. “My background is rooted in printmaking, so even though my focus has shifted toward textiles and functional objects, I still approach my work through an artistic designer lens,” she says. “I always think of each pillow as a small composition that balances color, texture and pattern.”
