Category: interior design

January 8, 2020

Custom Framing Online — Holiday Memories Edition

The build up to the holiday season is always so exciting. Once New Years passes and you get to that first week back on a normal schedule… that excitement is gone. In this technology filled world sometimes its hard to keep the memories alive. Sure, you probably take hundreds of photos to remember the events. Those photos probably are also shared on social media or through online photo albums, but ultimately, they are forgotten about until you stumble across them a few years later. What if there was a way to keep that excitement alive? Custom Framing is the answer!

Custom Framing Online

We know what you might be thinking,

“I would love to be able to get my holiday photographs custom framed, but finding a shop that won’t cost a fortune and give me a high-quality finished piece is hard!”

We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be hard. There is a way for you to get a custom framed piece without ever leaving your couch. Our Design a Frame feature was built with this particular predicament in mind, it specializes in Custom Framing Online. It takes you through each level of custom framing that you would go through at a framing shop, from the comfort of your home.

Picture/ Image

The first Design a Frame step is ultimately what prompted you to get a custom framed piece in the first place. In other words, The Photo! We give you the option to either upload a photo and have it printed or just order the frame and mat for an already printed photo. Your first step in the process is to enter in the image size. This can be the actual size of the image or your desired size of the image if you are having us print it. If you are having us print your image for you, the easiest way to determine the actual size of the image is to print it out on regular copy paper and measure it with a ruler or tape measure.

Once you have the image measured you will input that size into Design a Frame. If you are having us print your picture for you upload that image into Design A Frame. The orientation of your photo will determine which measurement goes in which box. For instance, this particular image measured at 5.75 wide by 11 inches tall. The length measurement is where you will put the height of your image and the width is the width.

The best part about using our Design A Frame feature is that you only need to know two measurements—the measurement of the image you are framing and how wide you want the mat to be. The custom frame size is automatically formulated from those two measurements. Design a Frame defaults to a black frame with a standard 1” smooth white matte. The next step is for you to decide if you want to keep the default frame or choose a different option.

Frame

You have the options to filter by Metal, Poster or Wood Frames. If you have a specific color in mind you can also choose a color filter that will give you all the frames that have an option within that color family.

Mat

Once you have the perfect frame selected you will move on to your mat selection. We offer Standard, Premium, Black Core, Acid Free, and Suede mats in a number of different colors. During this part of the process you have to enter in how wide you want the mat and decide if you want to add a second or third mat as well as how much of them you want to be revealed. The default is 0.25”.

Glazing/Backing

Once your mat colors are selected you will move on to the fourth and final step in the online custom framing process: Glazing and Backing. The particular glazing options offered are determined by the size of your overall frame. The three options available are Glass, Styrene, or Acrylic. Glass is only offered on frames that are 11×14 and smaller. The three backing options are white foam core, black foam core and the default Cardboard. Once you have decided between them you are ready to add it to your cart and finalize your order!

Finished Masterpiece

You have now successfully made it through the online custom framing process. The next step is to find the perfect place for your finished masterpiece. Your new piece will serve as a constant reminder of your precious holiday memories whether sitting on a shelf or hanging on the wall.

BONUS:

We have a Design A Frame sale going on RIGHT NOW. Use the coupon code MEMORIES for 15% off your order until January 9 , 2020 at 11:59 PM EST.

September 24, 2019

Happy Autumn! All Things Barnwood (Free Printable!)

If your state is anything like Ohio, you have had a pretty hot summer. While summer is great and arguably way better than winter (at least for those of you that live in a state that has snow), there is just something so special about Autumn. It’s cool enough for a sweater or sweatshirt but not so cold that you need gloves hats and scarves; Football starts back up and your weekends are spent doing activities like corn maizes or tailgating. Autumn also starts the beginning of home decorating season. Which for us here at Frame USA, is one of our favorite times (How could you blame us we sell Picture Frames!). The pumpkins have descended upon the store shelves and according to our sources, farmhouse decor is continuing to rise!

Lucky for us we have a whole line of products that fit right in with that farmhouse aesthetic. This line started with a simple product made from reclaimed wood that was taken from barns and fences in Oklahoma and Texas and it has grown to be one of our most popular lines to date. We’re talking about none other than our Barnwood Frames. To date we have 6 wood frame series, a Shadowbox and a specialty frame in this popular line. We also have an additional specialty frame that utilizes some of our Barnwood wood frames called the Baby’s First year Collage Frame, however it also comes in one of our other popular series, Corporate.

Barnwood Product Line

American Barn features a narrow and a wide frame in three patriotic colors

Appalachian Barnwood features the look of reclaimed wood with a smooth profile.

Barnwood Signature features the same look and feel as our OG barnwood but with a kicked up a notch flair and elegance in two new profile widths.

Farmhouse Barnwood have the rustic look of Barnwood with a modern flat profile.

Timber is the newest addition to the Barnwood line is made from real Spruce Wood grown in America.

The Barnwood Shadowbox combines the build, depth and profile of a shadowbox with the rustic, reclaimed look of barn wood.

The most versatile product in our line of Barnwood is our Barnwood Tray

Current Trends

While we love all the products in our Barnwood line, there is one in particular that we want the world to know about. This product features everything we know and love about picture frames with an unique twist. It doesn’t hang on the wall and you can display things ON it as well as IN it. You may have guessed it but we’re talking about our Barnwood Tray. Based on our home decor trend research trays seem to be making a comeback. Not only are people opting for smaller gatherings at home with family and friends but they’re using trays as part of their decor. Trays are no longer thrown into the cabinet only pulled out when company comes knocking they’re out front and center on coffee tables, bar carts and fire place mantles.

Our barnwood trays feature the same rustic charm that our picture frames have but come in two different types. The first type comes in five colors: Grey , black, brown, white and traditional Barnwood finish and features a mirror in the center. This mirror is perfect for reflecting the room on a mantle making it seem bigger. The second time is the reason we’re here today gushing about these rustic beauties. It is also available in the same five great colors but this one has the same function as a picture frame, you can remove the insert and place photos, quotes, patterned paper in with the season. Whether you go with the mirror or the traditional picture frame style, this tray can last through every season!

Free Printable!!

Since yesterday marked the first day of Autumn, we thought we would celebrate by giving you the a little something to use in your decorating! This free downloadable printable is available in two sizes — 8.5×11 and 11×14. Those sizes just happen to be a perfect fit with our Barnwood Tray. Love what you see here? From now until Thursday, September 26th, all of our barnwood products are 10% off with coupon code BARNWOOD.

Hello Autumn 8.5x11 — Hello Autumn 8.5×11

July 18, 2019

How to Frame a Puzzle — 6 Tips From an Expert Framer

Some framing projects are fairly easy, involving 2 steps — put art in frame, hang frame on wall. There are some projects however that require a bit more skill. We like our customers to be well informed so we went to the people that know those projects the best — our talented custom framing team in our retail store.

This team not only completes the requests of our local customers, but they are also the ones who turn your imagined Design a Frame orders into reality!

This team has had the opportunity to work with a lot of creative materials. One of the most unique products, also happens to be one of the trickiest for the everyday person to frame. We’re talking about America’s favorite rainy-day activity — Puzzles!

There is nothing worse than spending weeks completing a 1000+ piece puzzle to just take it apart. That’s where we come in! Laurie, who has been on our custom framing team since December of 2016, has compiled 6 tips to help turn that loved puzzle into your home’s decor.

Securing your puzzle

Since puzzles by definition include multiple pieces the first task when framing it is securing it:

There is puzzle glue that can be used to permanently keep a puzzle together. By gluing it, it makes it easier to frame. Be sure to give the puzzle plenty of time to dry properly before inserting it into a frame.
When you pour the glue over top of the completed puzzle, it can be a little messy. Use a piece of cardboard to spread it out but make sure to have something underneath to catch the excess glue. But be careful that you don’t glue your underneath board to the puzzle itself!

Not interested in permanently altering your puzzle? Here’s Laurie’s tip:

If you decide not to glue the puzzle together, use real glass in front of your puzzle instead of acrylic or flexible plastic called Styrene. This allows you to hold the puzzle together tighter.

Framing your puzzle

One of our customers favorite things about us is that we offer a wide variety of frames to choose from. Whether your décor is comprised of wood, or you have more of an industrial vibe with metal, we have tons of options.

When you are going through the many options, choose a frame that will accent the puzzle

Not sure what size frame would be the best for your puzzle? All you have to do is measure your puzzle and go from there!

Some puzzles will fit into a standard size frame; for example, a 16×20 frame or 18×24 frame. Others will need to be put into a custom size frame.

No matter what size, standard or custom, we can make your dreams come true. All of our series are offered in 32 standard sizes and the ability to be made into custom sizes!

Since this puzzle is meant to be part of your home décor, there is a very real possibility that you have a frame size already in mind for your space, regardless if your puzzle will fit. Here’s Laurie’s tip to make it work:

You can use a custom cut mat board to make it fit into a standard size frame. For example, if the puzzle is 16×22, you would have a 1 inch mat around the puzzle to fit it into an 18×24 frame.

We hope that these tips help you turn your rainy day activity into a beautiful home décor. Share with us your finished puzzles framed with Frame USA Frames!

June 18, 2019

Open Back Frame DIY Projects

In case you weren’t aware, we sell picture frames of all varieties. One of those varieties happens to be picture frame shells, sometimes called open back frames. Almost all of our series are available as shells, which essentially means all you’re getting is just the frame, no glass and no backing. There are a number of reasons why you would order just a shell, in this blog post you will find 5 different magical projects that you can complete with our open back frames.

Wild Flower Holder

It’s obvious that you can use our frames to frame artwork or family photographs but why stop at traditional? Use our frame shells as a way to make wild flowers pop against your living room wall. Featured in this picture is our Farmhouse Barnwood in Charcoal. The wild flowers in this picture are tied around the frame but you can also just mount the vases on your wall and then use our handy sawtooth hanger to hang the frames around them. Our recommendation is to purchase a frame about 5 inches wider than the vases you have to make them really stand out.

Light Fixture Boarder

It seems like not only is June the month for weddings, its also the month for new construction. If you are building a new home or even renovating a kitchen, don’t use just plain old wood, fill it with our reclaimed barnwood picture frame as a way to set your lighting fixture off.

Photo Collage Board

You might have recognized this next piece on our DIY Picture Framing page on our website.

This particular project uses not one but two of our products. We took one of our wire hanging kits along with a shell and made a DIY photo board. This versatile DIY project can be used as a creative way to finally display the thousands of pictures you’ve taken of your baby or pet or as a central message board in an entry way.

This particular frame that we used is our Timber series in White. We spray painted a pair of clothes pins black to add a contrast against the bright white frame. Even the most beginner DIY-er will be able to accomplish this.

Arts & Crafts Nature Scene

If you’re familiar with our products you might be aware that we have a few unfinished frames. While these are a great choice to have on hand for a

rainy-day activity with your kids, if you’re looking for a less hands on approach, purchase any of our frames as a shell and dollar store toys or even found objects around your yard and DIY a nature scene. This particular frame is our Appalachian Barnwood.

Wine Cork Message Board

Calling all wine lovers! This fifth and final project is perfect for you. Instead of tossing out those corks, repurpose them as a message board in your kitchen. Purchase a square picture frame shell such as this Corporate Black and go to down hot gluing corks. You’ll never forget to buy that needed agreement with this handy project on your island.

These are just a few projects using picture frame shells. If you’re interested in more check out our Creative Use of Frames or our DIY Inspiration Pinterest boards. Have some examples of our you’ve used our shells or picture frames in an unconventional way? Post them in a comment or send them to us on Facebook

January 8, 2019

Top Home Decor Trends for 2019

Trends change year after year, and with 2019 just beginning that means new home decor trends! Picture frames are a big part of many homes, but decorating the rooms around them are just as important. Keep your home up to date with these top trending styles for the new year.

Natural Decor

Home Decor Trends 2019 — Photo by Geneva Vanderzeil

Living in the 21st century means always being surrounded by technology. We’re excited to get a little break from this as bringing natural elements into the home is becoming a hot trend. House plants are growing ever more popular for their aesthetic and natural air purifying qualities. Plants are bringing us back to nature, but the internet is giving us access to unique containers, plants, and information!

Another way to incorporate natural decor into your home is adding furniture or objects made from natural materials. Wood frames are an option, along with wooden chairs, tables, or shelves. Stone or granite tables, counters, or walls are another way to add natural elements into your home. Floral wallpaper, fabric, and artwork coming back into style as well.

Boho Decor

Boho clothing and the general style has been trendy for a while. However boho interior design is just recently making a comeback in 2019. Bringing bright colors, patterns, and whimsical pieces into your home sets up a unique design. You can achieve this look by layering, using soft lines and curves, and combining both vintage and modern decor. Personally, I’m excited to see a more colorful trend after a year of rustic everything. Check out our Pop Art and Colori frames for colorful inspiration!

Canopy Beds

Canopy beds haven’t been in style for decades. However in 2019 we’re seeing a huge increase in their trendiness. They allow for hanging and decorating around for sleeping area. This makes ultimate comfort and style at the same time. Modern canopy beds are slimmer and take up less space than in the past, allowing them to fit in apartments or smaller rooms.

Jewel Toned Decor

Jewel Tone Home Decor — Photo by homestilo

Deep jewel toned colors are in style in 2019. Greens especially are trendy, matching the natural decor vibes. These rich colors are thought provoking and mystifying. Green in particular hasn’t been particularly stylish for almost a century! However today’s eco-friendly movement has brought it back into our minds and into our homes.

If you’re looking for more eco-friendly decor, check out our eco-friendly wood frames.

December 10, 2018

Home Decor and Apparel on Etsy

Frame USA is supporting small businesses by featuring Etsy shops throughout the holiday season. As an all-American company, we believe it’s important shop small! If you’re looking for home decor or apparel for your loved ones or yourself, check out this list of shops.

Apparel

Scrappin’ Twins

We offer t-shirts and mugs for twins and their families. All our designs are created by a twin mom for other twin families! This is the perfect gift for the twins/triplets, families of twins/triplets, or those expecting twins/triplets in your life.

Visit their shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ScrappinTwinsShop

Corporate Arts

Corporate is a home based studio in Pennsylvania. Our primary product is Auto Art using digital imaging techniques We market Car Show Boards, Canvas Art and T-Shirts. Shop owner Barry Cleveland holds numerous graphic and photo awards in U.S. and worldwide competition. His artwork has appeared in national publications and numerous galleries and shows.

Visit Corporate Arts here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/corporatearts

Home Decor

Treasured Maps

Treasured Maps are framed magnet maps of the USA that teach geography while stressing the importance of personal connections with friends, family, and special places of interest. Each map comes with printer labels and 18 magnets that you can use to customize with your own images of family members, favorite vacations, and other memorable moments.

Visit their shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TreasuredMaps

Creative Glass by Becky

Sitting around our country kitchen table, I learned to do crafts as a young girl with my Mom and my sister. My Mom always had great ideas and it gave us quality time together. I LOVE creating things! Not everyone is “crafty”, so being able to create things for others to enjoy makes me happy and I feel blessed. Working with glass in all shapes and sizes has really let my creative side come out to play. If you love colorful home decor, come check out my shop.

Visit Creative Glass by Becky here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CreativeGlassByBecky

Debbie’s Music Boxes

Debbie’s Music Boxes and Etched Glass has been making unique music boxes and other artwork on Etsy since 2008. Support small businesses and artists and visit their shop at www.etsy.com/shop/Musicbox4u

Autumn Drift Flies

I am Dave P. Fisher, a professional fly tier, specializing in trout, steelhead, and salmon fishing flies. In recent years I have added Fly Art Works to my line of fishing flies. The art works are framed, and feature vintage post cards, (some over 100 years old), or conservation, state, or international stamps depicting trout or salmon. With these are added flies specifically tied for the piece. I tie each fly individually, I never use mass-produced flies. The pieces are created by me start to finish. I also create small individual framed pieces with a single fly mounted in the frame to be displayed on desks of shelves.

Visit Autumn Drift Flies shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AutumnDriftFlies

Fanatic Frames

Fanatic Frames uses new and vintage sports pennants, street signs, and other memorabilia, combined with your favorite players or teams sports cards to make a collectible for any fan. Each piece is designed, cut, and assembled by hand, and is one of a kind!

Visit their shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/fanaticframes

MMB PhotoGraphics

MMB Photographics sells canvas wall art and other home decor. Their work focuses on colorful photos of animals and nature.

Visit their Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mmbphotographics

Places Interpreted

Places Interpreted sells canvas, fine art, framed, and metal prints of “a memory, an emotion, a personal connection to places we’ve lived, loved, traveled or dreamed of traveling to.”

Visit their Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/placesinterpreted

December 10, 2018

Shop Small on Etsy This Holiday Season!

Frame USA is promoting Etsy shops this holiday season! Small businesses and artists are important to us as a company. We encourage everyone to shop small for holiday gifts this year. Here are the first of our featured shops leading up to the holidays.

Framed Art

AgedPage

Images from AgedPage Photography speak softly to the soul by capturing moments in time, conceived with a nod to the past and a touch of vintage charm. The AgedPage print shop features photographs of country landscapes, still life images and rustic barns.
An Etsy shop since 2011, visit their shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/agedpage

Alphabet Art Photos

At Alphabet Art Photos we love to bring people closer and help them celebrate life’s major milestones through our personalized artwork. Our passion and purpose is to continually create art that brings enjoyment into the home while offering a customer experience that we would want for ourselves.
Have you browsed our store and read the reviews?
Don’t worry if you haven’t cos here’s the news…
Our artwork is designed with you in mind
Each item is personalized, all one-of-a-kind.
So, pick out your letters and choose a font
We’ll take the time to create the look you want.
We’ll send you a proof to look over and consider
A thumbs up from you and we’ll print, pack, and deliver
A personalized gift that is made from the heart
Your name spelled out with our Alphabet Art!

Visit their shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AlphabetArtPhotos

Burning For You

Burning for You is a collaborative effort between a graphic designer and an artist/architect. We offer you custom handcrafted laser engraved wood and hand dyed leather goods and accessories. We really have a passion for creating! Each piece is made with care; from the conceptual stage all the way to the finishing table. Our hope is that you enjoy our products as much as we enjoy making them.
Visit their shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BurninForYou

CT Costa Photography

CT Costa Photography has been an Etsy seller since 2011 and continues selling fine art nature photography worldwide. They create inspiring photography of majestic landscapes and serene seascapes, and frame them with Frame USA products! Visit their shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/CTCostaPhotography

Faith Wickey

These adorable glass art pieces would make great gifts while supporting a small business! Faith Wickey creates whimsical fused glass art pieces, then creates shadowboxes using frames from Frame USA. Visit their Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FaithWickey

RibbonMade

RibbonMade on Etsy has some great items to gift this holiday season! They hand decorate Frame USA frames for all sorts of occasions, along with offering children’s benches, keepsake boxes, and other decor! Visit their shop here http://www.ribbonmade.etsy.com

September 7, 2018

Wedding Photography Framing Tips

Tips for Wedding Photography and Framing

I grew up believing there are a few important stages in life: graduating from college, finding your first “big kid job”, getting married, and then all the fun stuff that follows marriage. So when those steps fell into place perfectly in my life, I was over the moon! Right after getting my first big kid job post-college, my boyfriend of 3 years proposed to me. I could finally put that lengthy Pinterest board to good use.

Since I’m the baby of the family and all of my siblings had already been through wedding planning, I had plenty of help. Growing up, I remember being surrounded by wedding photos of my parents, siblings, and grandparents. So as I began planning, I knew immediately that finding a fantastic photographer was one of the most important things for me. In fact, it was the third thing I finalized.

So the question is – once you’re back to your normal routine after your wedding, what is the best way to display the hundreds of photos?

My personal favorite is a gallery wall! It’s a great way to display photos of all the people you love. Choose your favorite photography of you and your family, husband, or bridal party to display. Then mix them with action shots from the reception, like this lovely cake-in-the-face shot or your first dance.

The frames you choose for your gallery wall don’t have to all be the same. In fact, most of the time it looks best when you select frames of different sizes, textures, and styles. Here’s a tip for using our picture frames. If you love the style of a frame but the color doesn’t fit your needs, don’t be afraid to paint them! Painting the different frames all one color is a great way to take your wedding photographs and turn them into a conversation piece.

How Can Frames Be Used While You’re Still Planning?

If you stumbled on this post while you’re just beginning your wedding planning, don’t fret! You can still use our frames BEFORE you actually have the photos to put in them. Our specially crafted frames are perfect for decorating your reception. Print out your favorite love related quote or song lyric in a fancy font and frame it. Then you can place it on a table of other framed photographs of your family, your in-laws, or photos through the years of your relationship!

The latest craze right now is signature drinks. If you’re thinking of having one at your wedding, print out the recipe and stick it on the bar! This way when your guests love the drink, they know how to make it!

Framed Wedding Photos Make Great Gifts!

Use frames to gift family members the special photos from your big day for their birthdays, holidays, or just because. Something I’m going to do for my niece (who holds a special spot in my heart) when she’s older and getting married is give her this framed photo of her wearing my wedding shoes to her as her ‘something old’. I will tell her how for the entire summer leading up to my wedding she practiced her walk down the aisle for her wedding.

On your wedding day you are surrounded by not only the person you vow to cherish until your last breath, but also everyone who has shaped and molded you into the person you are. There really is no better feeling than being surrounded by love. After the buzz wears off and you go from the fantasy bubble to the real world, your wedding photos will be what brings you back to that love filled day. So don’t let those beauties get tucked away in a box and forgotten. Take the tips shared here, display them, and remember the love.

– Brooke Sanders

September 6, 2018

Tips to Overcome Creative Block

How to Get Rid of Creative Block

Creative block happens to every artist no matter how professional they are. We all go through times where the inspiration isn’t there. It can be super discouraging to be a creative person with no ideas of what to make. As an artist, I’ve had plenty of ups and downs. There are times when my imagination goes so wild that I can’t get it all out, and other times when I can’t come up with an idea for anything. Here are some ideas of how to get past the slump of artist block and get back to being creative.

Pinterest is full of inspiring photographs, art, tutorials, videos, etc. When I’m struggling to find an idea for a project, one of the first things I do is make a Pinterest board with relevant images. It’s an easy way to find and store inspiration for your work. Whether you’re looking for a drawing reference or interior design ideas, it’s a great resource to get the creative juices flowing.

Sketchbooks and Journals

No matter what kind of creative person you are, keeping a journal or sketchbook can really come in handy. During those times that you’re full of ideas, you can jot them down for later. When you’re having trouble coming up with something, just revisit those old notes and sketches for inspiration. I’m a firm believe that you should always have a notebook with you. You never know when a great idea (or even a funny comment or sentence you overheard) is going to strike. You’ll thank yourself later for having written it down.

Mix Up Your Routine

Sometimes doing the same things every day can put you in a rut. If you’re moving through the day repeating tasks on auto-pilot, your brain isn’t working to its full potential. This doesn’t mean you need to switch your whole schedule. Making even small changes like going to a new coffee shop or reading a book on your porch instead of your couch will wake up your mind. Sometimes it only takes going a little ways out of your comfort zone to ignite the spark.

Don’t Wait For Inspiration

Waiting for the inspiration to come to you doesn’t always work. Even if you’re proactively trying to find inspiration, it might not happen for a while. That’s why it’s important to keep working on projects even when you don’t want to. Even the greatest artists can make bad art, and sometimes it’s essential to the process. The process itself can even be more important than the end product. We learn from our mistakes, so don’t be afraid to make them!

And once you’re out of your creative block and back to making great art, don’t forget to proudly display it in a picture frame!

August 27, 2018

Tips for Matting Artwork – Color, Size, and Display

Matting Artwork

When looking at a piece of art, matting can really brighten or enhance the image. People often ask if you should mat a picture based on the image itself or based on the room it will hang in. It’s actually a little of both. You don’t want to have a mat, frame, and picture totally clash with the wall it’s hanging on. But you also want to highlight some of the colors from the art. I like a mat to pull out some of the subtle colors in a picture. You can use just one mat or multiple! We’ve matted up to 4 times on some of our framed art in the retail store gallery.

We also play with spacing the mats differently so there is a small gap between one mat and the next. It’s fun to try and pull colors out that you are drawn to or would like to feature. Mats can help draw your eyes to the uniqueness in a piece of art. You can play with the reveal (amount of each color shown) for each mat. Typically we have the bottom mat show 1/4″ and the top mat is 2″, but this can be customized depending on the art and the customer preference.

Another way to mat artwork is to do what is called “floating”. When you float something, the mat is solid behind your artwork. This is really cool when you have a signature that is right at the edge. Some artwork has rough edges and it would be a shame to hide the unique effect this creates in the piece. This is when floating can really help finish off the art.

Using Mats For Non-Standard Sized Images

Matting is also a great way to put an odd size picture into a standard size frame. For example, you want to fit your 10×12 picture into an 11×14 frame. We can cut a mat that will fit both the frame and the exact size needed for the image. We have tons of mats in stock in several colors. Plus we have a large selection of mats that we can order for customers.

If you are framing artwork as a gift for someone, it is best to keep the colors and frames neutral since you don’t know where they may be hanging the gift.

Occasionally, we’ll have a customer bring in their framed artwork looking for something to spruce it up. Just changing the mats can totally change the overall look of your image. It can make it look like a completely new piece! We have so much fun playing with colors and finding what looks the best to make the art really pop!

-Laurie Meurer