From the Blog

Custom Picture Frame Design

The designers working at our shops love to help clients find the perfect frame and mat combination to showcase their art. You’re always in good hands. But it can be helpful to know a little bit about the process before you walk in the door.

While there’s a variety of factors involved in creating the right frame design, here’s a few things a designer will have in mind when working with you.

Choosing Frame Mouldings

Every conversation between a client and designer will be different, but you can expect to be asked a few questions about the art and where it will be hung.

For someone to recommend options you’ll love, it will help for them to understand what this piece means to you. Framing photos for a Mother’s Day gift would warrant a different design than framing photos for an employee lunchroom.

It also helps to know about the room you’ll hang it in. For instance, an office would suggest different styles than a bedroom. Is your house expansive and modern, or a charming Craftsman? Describing the space helps the designer show you relevant options.

And we’re not actually limited to the 700+ mouldings on the wall. Designers often layer frame mouldings to create unique looks. You may not notice it when looking at a finished pice of framed art, but sometimes it’s actually using two stacked mouldings. Above, two wood mouldings were stacked to create a richer combination.

A fillet or liner can be put inside the mat to create an additional level of interest, such as the gold fillet used in the Bill Murray print below.

Mats

Matting separates your artwork from your glazing, protecting it from any condensation that could build up under the glass. Mats and mounting – how your art is held in place – are two of the biggest considerations if archival preservation is important to you.

Make your mat margins BIG, at least 1.5 times the width of your frame. This is easier on the eye, bringing it to rest on the art.

Is your artwork out of square, or on paper with a deckle edge? Float it over a mat to highlight those unique details.

Art Size

Is your artwork enormous? This will impact what mouldings you can use. Strainer bars can add support, but ultimately the moulding has to be wide enough to stay square at your needed size.

You’ll also want to avoid metal frames on larger pieces.

Always use acrylic glazing on oversized pieces, which is less fragile than glass.

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Ready to get creative? Join FrameClub to get 15% off your next project, at one of our frame shops.