Congratulations! You bought a piece of art that speaks to your soul and to your home. What an amazing feeling!
Framing artwork can be daunting, so I've put this guide together with the hopes of answering some of your questions and to help guide you towards a particular style or aesthetic you will ultimately love living with!
Things to consider
Art Prints:
Be sure to purchase art prints that come in standard sizes (8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 18x24, 20x26, 30x40 and so on).
All of my fine art prints are available in standard sizes - 8"x10" & 11"x14" - which means they can easily fit into any standard frame.
Matting your prints can create an elevated, more polished look.
Matting is the thick paper border that is typically included with a frame that lays on top of your art, protecting your print from the glass and drawing the eye into the print.
Matting typically comes in white, but if you go custom you can literally choose any colour you want. This can be a really fun, creative way to pull specific colours out of the artwork itself!
Art prints that come in non-standard sizes will need to be custom framed. Keep in mind that you will also likely want to invest in custom matting to accentuate the stunning art you invested in.
Some prints come on a variety of papers, while others are printed on to canvas. All options are gorgeous!
Some prints are “full bleed” meaning the image takes up the entire paper. Others have a white margin around the image, acting as a border. Be sure to check this before ordering frames and matting.
Original Paintings:
There are two standard ways you can display original art:
Gallery Wrap: When the canvas is literally wrapped around a wooden frame (this is super common, and all of my original paintings come on a gallery wrapped, pre-stretched canvas) that is typically 1.5" thick. I paint all of my pieces around the edges so that a frame is not required. That being said, a frame elevates an original beautifully and gives the piece more of a presence.
Floater Frame: this type of frame creates the illusion of a “floating” painting. The frame floats around the artwork, as oppose to covering it. There is no glass used in this framing style. Whenever I custom frame my originals I always go for this look. Depending on the wood and finish you select, this style of frame can truly suit just about any style of decor.
Look around your space. If your home is full of antiques, a gorgeous gold frame (like the ones they use in art galleries) might fit right in. If your house is Scandinavian and minimalist, go for a light wood floater frame! Your options are truly endless.
Be sure your painting has been varnished with an archival-grade product that will provide UV-protection. All of my originals are varnished as such.
If your original artwork is on paper, “art print” info applies.
Gallery Wrap
Painted edges give you the flexibility to frame or to leave the canvas as is. This all boils down to personal preference and your design taste.
Floater Frame
A floating frame can elevate your artwork and add serious presence to your space!
Local
is always better.
There are some wonderful businesses online that have come up with incredibly convenient solutions to framing physical artwork. Unfortunately, due to their physical location they really aren't all that useful to us Canadians (for any American readers, consider yourself incredibly lucky to have so many amazing resources at your fingertips!).
Always consider what you have nearby. Here in Hamilton, where I am based out of, there is an amazing father-son operated frame shop called Sealed Art that I highly recommend. I've used them multiple times and have sent countless collectors their way. Their work is consistently top quality, and they are one of the more affordable options I have come across. They do framing and custom matting, and have an amazing selection to choose from.
I have also had really good luck at Michaels craft store. Although this isn't a small business, it's close by (no shipping fees or delays!) and they have regular sales on their custom framing. They also offer custom matting, which I have used multiple times and can't get enough of. Their standard frame selection is always good if you're looking for a cheap and cheerful solution (which I usually am!)
A word about Ikea frames. Although I adore Ikea and we can all agree their frames are economically priced, beware that most (if not all) of their frames and matting are NOT standard sizes and will, therefore, make for a disappointing framing experience if your art print is a standard size (which mine are). I have attempted to frame my own art prints in Ikea frames and have ended up having to cut the paper for it to fit - not good!
custom matting
Going custom allows you to play with negative space, or fit square prints into rectangular frames! Fun right?!
To frame
or not to frame…
There are so many amazing options out there for frames. Looking for a particular style to compliment your decor?
A few of my favourite big box store options:
- West Elm
- Pottery Barn
- Anthropologie
- Home Sense
- Local home decor boutiques
For the bargain hunters & vintage lovers:
- Antique markets (so many fun vintage options!)
- Facebook Marketplace/Kijiji (swap out the art that's originally in the frame and you've got a unique, oftentimes vintage, frame that no one else will have!)
- Estate Sales (so many gems to be found!)
I hope this guide has taken you from “yikes!” to “yippee!” Framing your artwork will look and feel amazing. Trust me!
Looking to put all of this into practice? Be sure to check out my website for originals and prints. Or if you're more comfortable on Etsy, all of my prints can be found there, too!