Choosing the Perfect Frame
Choosing the right, or better yet, the perfect frame for your photographs, postcards, posters, prints or even artwork is an art on its own and it does requires some skills!
A frame is a critical component, a “behind the scenes” element that serves your art piece in many ways; it’s a medium to protect your artwork from dust and light; it’s a medium to hang your artwork on the wall; it enhances both the artwork and the surrounding environment without over-imposing its presence and making a bold statement and detracting value from the artwork itself.
Choosing the perfect frame is a delicate balance between content and context, between presence and statement.
If you are lucky enough to own some original and delicate art piece, I recommend you bring it to your local experts. They will be able to suggest the proper frame, mat and UV protective glass, if required.
If you want to buy a frame yourself for your artwork, prints or whatever else you’d like to hang on your walls, or display on your shelves, here are some tips to pick the perfect frame without having to spend too much money!
consider the content.
The first step in selecting a frame is to observe and understand the content you are going to frame. You need to consider different frames options for different art medium you are framing.
For example, if you have an original watercolour on paper, you will pick a frame that is different from a frame you would pick for a black and white photograph. Depending on the subject, a watercolour can sport many different type of frames; from rustic painted wood to ornate wood, from a smooth white wood frame to an aluminum frame. However, your options for a black and white photograph are more restricted to the simple lines frames in white, black and aluminum.
Once you’ve figured out the generic style, whether you are going with ornate or simple, sleek lines, you need to determine your colours and materials based on the subject you are framing; nature shots, landscapes, botanical prints, family pictures, maps, postcards, and so on…
Let’s look at frames styles and materials to get a better idea.
Styles
The picture on the left shows three very different styles of picture frames; farmhouse, white ornate, nautical.
They are so different in style; in what they can frame and where they can be placed and yet, they look so amazing together!
You would pick the outermost farmhouse style for many applications but it is probably best at framing very bold or very pale subjects and it would be beautiful on a white wall or pale warm grey wall. This frame wouldn’t suit a black and white photograph.
The white ornate frame in the centre is an extremely feminine frame and it’s perfect for girl’s rooms, closets, powder rooms and bathrooms. It would frame vintage fashion postcards really well as well as colourful portraits. Botanicals and butterflies would be great in here too.
The nautical, inner most frame is perfect for postcards depicting boats and vessels or summer family pictures. This isn’t a frame you place everywhere though. It has a very specific application, which is mostly beach houses or lake cottages, or coastal homes with a nautical theme. However, I am a great supporter of themed bathrooms!!
These three frames give you an idea on how different styles of frames can be used for different subjects in different context.
MATERIALS
I love sterling and silver frames in all their shapes and finishes. They bring such a light to both the picture and the surrounding environment. They are definitely a classy touch to any side and console table as well as shelves. They can be placed in pretty much any home style as they come in different finishes; from clean lines to ornate.
They have two downsides;
If you buy a real silver frame; you have to periodically polish it otherwise it will go black.
In my opinion, you can only use sterling and silver frames for personal photographs. I don’t think they go well with prints and other types of artwork.
Wood frames come in all sort of shapes, finishes and colours. Each one has its own subject and application. Some are more finicky then others to match, some are very neutral and go with everything, anywhere. I love to play with different frames and see how they are tied together; sometimes by their tones, sometimes by their finishes, sometimes by their similarities.
Aluminum frames are very popular and can be used for so many different types of contents. Like simple wood, black and white frames, these aluminum frames are often used for black and white photographs and are placed in those environment with a modern and contemporary style. Often you’ll see these frames have a mat to further enhance the framed content.
Remember, the frame matches the content first, then the surrounding environment.
Don’t choose a frame colour based on the most dominant colour of the framed content. Choose a frame, (and a mat), based on the less dominant colours and tones of the image. This way the frame will complement its content and the content will pop from the wall or wherever else is placed.
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Consider the context in which the frame will be placed.
The second most important step in choosing the perfect frame is to consider the context in which this frame will be placed. Before you do that, you need to make sure the content you’ve selected suits the environment you’ve chosen for it!
The picture above on the left shows a bunch of wood frames to which I added a beautiful white and neutrals glass and murrina frame and a nautical frame. Notice how well they go together? The glass and murrina frame ties in with the whites of the wood picture frames, while the neutral tone of the nautical frame rope ties in with both the wood frames and the darker murrina colours.
Even though I am stretching the importance of context in which you place your frames, you can find opportunities to mix and match frames of completely different styles. The trick is to place the most dominant style of frame in the proper location.
For example, If you use the left picture here above as a reference, you’ll notice there are two frames with a coastal/nautical theme; the bleached white wood slats one and the nautical rope one. These would be your dominant frame styles. You would start by placing these two frames in the right context, like for example, a home by the beach. Then you can surround these frames with the other completely different styles of frames that still tie in with tones and materials, like the glass and murrina frame and the natural wood ones.
In an instance like this one, make sure the contents inside the frame have similar subjects!!
Sometimes, frames can match the style of other items in the surrounding environment. The picture above on the right shows two nautical decor elements; a frame and a mirror. Notice how the content of the frame is consistent with the frame style?
Content, Context, Consistency! These are my 3C in Interior Design!
consider a mat.
Have you considered mats for your frames? I really like mats with thin, simple aluminum frames. They generally suit a very clean and simple content and surrounding environment.
What does the mat do to an image? It has two main functions: an aesthetic one, which serves as additional decoration and a practical one, which protects the image from touching the glass.
If you didn’t know, there is a formula behind the perfect proportion and size of a mat, the Golden Ratio. The size of the mat is generally measured against the size of the frame, however, in particular instances, the size and proportions of the content can dictate the size of the mat.
Fortunately for you, many pictures frames come with a mat already proportioned and cut.
You can cut a mat yourself, however, I recommend you purchase a thicker piece of mat board and you cut it with a specific angled exacto-knife.
In my opinion, a mat should be white or off-white to match the base surface of the image you are framing. It will draw the attention to the image and it will blend in nicely with either the image itself or the frame. I don’t like the idea of adding another layer of colours to the whole framed image.
If you’ve assumed I love frames, you are completely right!
All the frames shown in this blog are mine! I have been collecting them for years and from many different places.
I truly believe a frame can do so much more that simply hang an image on the wall or display a picture on your shelves. A frame or a gallery of them can enhance your space, your room decor in so many ways!
I hope you found this article useful and feel free to ask me any questions you should have! I’ll be happy to get back to you!!
Cheers,
Cecilia
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