Submaterial was founded with a modern, modular design language. This means that all our designs, from our very first to our newest products, were created with a focus on pattern and linework that can be repeated, rotated, reversed, and more. This deep-rooted modularity enables clients to purchase a highly personalized, bespoke wall art piece from our studio.
This customization is one of the reasons that people seek us out. They know that our products utilize the highest quality natural and sustainable materials and are handmade within the United States. Handmade fabrication means products are made-to-order. Our products are not mass-produced on a vast assembly line with hundreds of the same design being churned out.
We know that buying mass-produced home decor is *generally* the norm for most people. Commissioning an artwork or something custom-made for a personal space can be daunting. With this in mind, we want to explain the process of purchasing custom wall art from Submaterial. This process begins with an initial inquiry, followed by collaboration with our sales and design team, and culminates in the delivery of your final product. Whether you are an interior designer working with a client, a homeowner or renter seeking a special piece, or someone responsible for furnishing an office or commercial space, this guide can help you.
Let’s dive in!
Custom Wall Art Inquiry
Clients come to our website through many different paths (for example, how did you find this blog post?). If our SEO is effective, people might discover us while searching Google for terms like 'wall art’, ‘decorative mirrors’, or maybe ‘eco-friendly home décor.’ They may have seen a print or digital ad showcasing a custom wall art piece, photographed in a beautiful home, or in a social media ad. Or it could be more personal; they met us at a tradeshow or saw one of our pieces in a friend’s home and decided to look us up.
Submaterial is not a traditional e-commerce brand, and as such, when people visit our website, they may be looking to purchase a ready-to-ship item, or not. They could explore our dozens of designs, learn about our sustainability efforts, or meet the people who make the products. However, for those who have visited before and have returned to contact us about creating a custom wall art piece, we strive to make the process as easy as possible. Each product page features a form that enables clients to initiate the customization process for a particular product, such as Myth. Alternatively, we have a general contact page where individuals can reach out without a specific product in mind. And while some clients come with a very clear vision of design, size, shape, and color palette, many others inquire with ideas and wishes, but not all the details are nailed down. Let’s explore some of the ways people start the custom wall art design process.
Custom Wall Art Inspo
I have this space that needs.... something
Often, clients come to us with a placement in mind. In this example, the client knew exactly where they wanted to place a Submaterial custom wall art panel, and approximately the shape and dimensions that they were looking for in the final piece.
In this particular case, they also wished to customize a design that would complement, or at least not clash with, the poster hung below the stairs.
These are the colors we love.
In the case of this bright, colorful inspiration image, the client inquired about a particular product called Field | Confluence. They knew that was the design they wanted, but when it came to colors, they were having trouble expressing their wishes. We proposed that they send an image that conveyed the vibe they were hoping to see in the final piece. With this pastel with pops of autumn color palette inspiration in mind, the felt color choices for the panel finally came together.
Similarly, a client interested in a tall, yet low-dimensional wall piece sent us the image below. The colors and gradation in this inspiration helped our design team create options for this client that matched the desired mood for their custom wall art piece.
Context. Context. Context
For many custom clients, the most crucial piece of the puzzle in ordering a bespoke Submaterial piece is that the wall art (or mirror or room divider) fits in with the rest of the space. For some people, that means matching or complementing already purchased furniture or other home decor, such as rugs. Other clients have art pieces, beloved heirlooms, or other wall decorations that require consideration when planning for a new piece.
Below are examples of each, respectively. The first is the modern white furniture and deep blue rug that a client wanted to work with to customize a wall art piece. Second is a textile that another client had hanging in the same room as an intended new piece.
Next Steps in the Custom Wall Art Process
Following the initial inquiry, clients meet with our sales specialist and a designer, typically via video call. They discuss the known factors, for example, if a client is set on a particular design or colorway. The Submaterial team asks many questions regarding the desired look of the final piece:
- What type of piece? Wall art? Mirror? Room divider?
- What tone or colorway are they interested in? Bold and graphic? Subtle and neutral?
- The approximate size of the desired piece.
- What budget or price range is the client working with?
- What materials are they interested in? While wool felt is our most common and popular material, we also create products that use cork, wood, leather, and powder-coated metal.
And sometimes the details get even more drilled down. For example, within the collection of felt wall art, we have more than two dozen designs that largely fall into one of two categories. The first are panels that have only subtle dimension. Layers of felt of different colors or thicknesses are placed on top of each other in various patterns (see Lyric Flat below). The other type of wall art features details attached to the surface, which we refer to as "on-edge." These pieces have more depth and dimension, more shadowing, and can provide more acoustic dampening. (See the Diade No. 2 below)
After this call and information gathering, our fantastic designers get to work. Using both the initial inspiration and the client's wishes from the call, they draft up some basic drawings. Sometimes, the options are three colorways of the same product in the same size. Or they may use the same colorway in a couple of different products to see which design they want to move forward with. At this point, the sales team sends material swatches for review or color confirmation. Design drawings can be iterated for changes, leading up to a final drawing for client signature and a deposit.
Finally, the piece is ready to be placed on our production pipeline, and the thoughtful, considered, handmade fabrication commences!
When the custom wall art piece is finished, there are some final in-house steps before it arrives at the customer's home or space.
- The product is quality checked one last time. (Quality has been reviewed and confirmed throughout the production process several times before this.)
- We take photographs of the piece. Sometimes, we capture just basic clean images against a white wall, and other times, we stage the piece with furniture and other decor. We love featuring beautiful photography of made-to-order wall art on our website and social media. The variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and colorways helps future clients imagine the possibilities as they look to customize a piece.
- Finally, the product is boxed or crated with special attention to cushioning and protecting it during transit.
- SOMETIMES, we get gorgeous installation photos from our clients, and we can see the custom wall art exactly as it will exist in the client's space.
Let's check out some Submaterial custom wall art from inquiry to installation!
