Pillow-maker Marie Tomasino

Marie Tomasino’s throw pillows are not something you want to throw. Her one-of-a-kind pillows, using fabric Tomasino purchases in France, have decorated the homes of First Lady Barbara Bush, Oprah Winfrey and Rachel Ray. “The pillows are like a jewel of a home,” Tomasino says. “They can make or break a décor.” The textile colors and designs in France are completely different than those in the United States, Tomasino says. Her first fabric purchase was made several years ago while visiting family there, and it became pillows for her bedroom. During Tomasino’s next trip to France, she bought more fabric and made two sets of pillows for her neighbor. Her business grew from there by word of mouth. Each year, she travels to France to buy limited quantities of fabric, enough to make only one set of pillows in each design. “This is a passion for me,” Tomasino says. “I love making someone’s home more beautiful. These are not normal, everyday pillows.”