Home decor is where handmade pricing goes to be humbled: big beautiful pieces, small material costs, and hours of skilled handwork that the price tag has to carry alone. A wall hanging that's 17% cord and 83% craft needs labor-first pricing, or it's a donation with a dowel.
The cost of a wall hanging
- Cotton cord (120 ft): about $4.80
- Wooden dowel: about $0.90
- Tag + wrap: about $0.55
- Your time (2 hrs at $15/hr): $30.00
$36.25 all-in: $65 retail is a 44% margin on top of paid labor. That structure is correct for statement work: the labor is priced in as a cost, and the margin above it is real profit, not a disguised wage.
Statements anchor, sellers pay
The big piece draws the eye at a market; the $20 plant hangers and $14 keychain-scale pieces pay the booth fee. Track earnings per hour across the catalog and balance the making week: some hours go to anchors that build the brand, most go to the pieces that pay per hour.
The formula for decor
- Materials + (hours × honest rate) + 25–50% margin
- Custom sizes: scale a proven recipe. Cord and hours grow with the dimensions, so does the price
- Colorways: dyed versions carry dye cost and extra time; charge the difference
- Retire the slow-movers: deadstock in decor ties up the most visible inventory you own
Home decor pricing mistakes to avoid
- Cord-cost pricing: the materials are the cheapest part of the piece
- Uncounted finishing: fringe trimming and steaming are hours too
- One price for custom sizes: a six-foot commission is not a stretched four-footer
- Making only anchors: per-hour math says the small pieces fund the studio
Hours priced, catalog balanced, customs quoted from recipes: from the Maker plan, Keepsel for home decor makers puts your time in every piece's cost. Weigh a statement piece in the free pricing calculator.