It’s award season! The Oscars might get all the attention right now, but our creative picture framing designs are a winner every time. Break out the champagne, dress to the nines, and keep scrolling to view our red-carpet worthy projects.

Best Matting:

Look magazine was published from 1946 to 1970; this issue featuring Marilyn Monroe is definitely a collector’s item worthy of framing. The Look logo has a black and gray background, so we used the same colors and pattern in the matting for a creative design.

Best Frame:

Although she was in 47 films, Jean Harlow never won an Oscar. Known as the Blonde Bombshell, she became one of Hollywood’s most enduring actresses despite a relatively short career. What frame is movie star worthy and works with a boudoir portrait like this one? A mirrored frame, of course.

Best TV Memory:

Several generations have grown up watching The Andy Griffith Show. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Comedy Show three times but never won. We think this framing is a winner, though! This autographed photo from the show was framed with a rustic, vintage design to match the era and outdoorsy nature of the program.

Best Design:

Picture framing can be wonderfully creative! The award for Best Design goes to this movie buff ensemble including a clapboard, film canister and film. We made the matting resemble actual frames of a movie reel. What a great conversation piece for a home theatre!

Best Drama:

Andy Warhol painted Marilyn Monroe in the early 60’s and became known as a leader in the Pop Art movement. The bright usage of color in this silkscreen brings to life Marilyn Monroe’s iconic status and celebrity glamour. For our frame design, we wanted something bold and dramatic. Black never fails for drama, and the curvy gold frame emphasizes the curls in her hair.

Best Replica:

Movie posters are widely available these days but framing them doesn’t have to look generic or cheap. We wanted the framing of this Frankenstein movie poster to replicate the look and feel of the original 1931 classic. By stacking three golden frames together, we replicated the drama and glamour of 1930s Hollywood, the bygone era of the gilded movie theatre.

Best Actor:

This little movie star deserves an award-worthy frame! Turn the stars in your life (your kids, grandkids, parents, best friends…) into legends by framing a photo of them. Look through your favorite pictures, find the ones that have the most ‘Hollywood’ glam, and frame it to match that star’s personality. How would you frame this photograph?

Color trends 2022: Fresh new year – fresh color palette

For over 20 years, Pantone has been at the forefront of color trends and has determined a ‘Color of the Year’ based on design trends, socio-economic conditions and our global culture. This year, for the first time, a new color was created to reflect the challenging, changing times we are all going through. Drum roll, please…

Introducing Very Peri!

How do you describe Very Peri? It’s a dynamic blue with violet-red undertones. Pantone describes it as blending the faithfulness and constancy of blue with the energy and excitement of red.

While Pantone concentrates on an all-encompassing color trend, paint companies who determine ‘Colors of the Year’ use the same criteria geared towards home interiors.

Playing on last years ‘calm me down and help me feel secure’ color trends, it’s unanimous! Green is the home décor color of 2022! Green is a calming color and represents regrowth. With that in mind, let’s look at colors the major paint companies say will be everywhere next year.

Olive Sprig by PPG
This is a crisp, earthy color that mimics nature’s resiliency and can blend into any environment.

Using this year’s color trends in design: What will your room be wearing this year?

Very Peri could be an overall color if you are bold enough, but it will probably work best as an accent color. As part of this year’s color trends, muted greens can work as understated wall colors or accents.

What color trends palette do you pair well with?

Additional color trends topics:

Color and art consultations

Do you want advice on how to use different color trends in your home? It can be overwhelming to put a color scheme together. We can help! Our design experts will help you pick out colors that match your space and style. We offer in-home color, art and design consultations and we would love to help you at your convenience. Call us for an appointment.

What’s wrong here?

Do you ever wonder why some framed art is easy to look at, and some makes you want to move past it quickly? It could be the art itself – maybe you don’t care for the style or subject matter, like abstracts or landscapes – but maybe it’s because of the way it’s framed. Yes, the framing design makes a huge difference and there are some simple ways to avoid framing problems with your cherished pieces.

We’ve framed four pieces of art (each with two mats and one frame) in two different ways so you can see how the framing impacts the visual presentation. Let’s take a look at how you can solve some common framing problems.

Framing problems: Serenity in the guest room

This serene, peaceful image is perfect for your guest room, which has green accents and oak furniture. The top mat should be green to match, right? And the frame should match the furniture? Not necessarily. These are some common framing problems that people encounter when worrying about how to make the frame match the decor instead of complement the art.

Neutral colors sourced from the photograph (and not your walls) will let the art shine, as well as blend with your current décor. By matting it just a shade darker than the light on the water, we avoid competition with the focal point. The frame continues the soft, neutral vibe, making it easier and more peaceful to get lost in the serene view.

Framing problems corrected for photographs

Family photograph

There is no better reason for a family portrait than an addition to the family! Wouldn’t it be cute to use the baby’s outfit for the mat colors and a brown frame to match those darling curls? Maybe, maybe not. What kind of framing problems can be corrected for these kinds of photos?

If it’s the baby you really want to see and not the frame design, make your eye go right to the focal point. This can be done by letting the bold color of the outfit stand out on its own instead of competing with the framing. In this case, a soft white doesn’t interfere with the blue outfit, taking your eye straight to the baby and the parents’ delighted faces.

Pink flamingos

You could watch flamingos all day long  so you found a beautiful photo that lets you do just that. Of course, you want the flamingos to be what you see first when you look at it, so the best thing to do is neutralize it with a white mat, right? And the pink frame is a play on the flamingo color! Great idea….or is it? Bright colored images can pose all kinds of framing problems.

In this situation, the white mat contrasts with the pink, so pink is what you see – not the flamingo, just the frame. The white mat is stark – it creates a strong outline around a fairly dark image. Instead, pull the colors from the background, leaving the focal colors alone. Are the flamingos easier to look at now?

Framing problems corrected for abstract art

Abstract art is versatile and can frequently go with any décor because the design is usually non-specific. Abstracts can create a soothing feeling or add a splash of color to a space. Because abstract art sometimes has a lot going on, it’s best to give it space, or it can look confusing. This is the most common framing problem with abstract art but is easily solved to let your art shine through.

This colorful example was designed with the same two mats and frame, but with different matting proportions. The first appears cramped and overwhelmed, forcing your eye to the framing instead of the art. The second is easier on the eyes, with ‘breathing room’ for the art. Which would you rather look at?

Other framing problems and quick tips

How to solve framing problems with the design

• Stick to colors that are in the art
• The mat color should not be lighter or darker than any color in the art
• Contrast the top mat with the focal point
• Vary the widths of the design package components

Design preview

See it framed before you buy it! We know how painful it can be to make a decision from a corner sample. But not anymore! We can show you what that corner sample will look like all around your art before you say yes. Stop in to see your design preview and let us solve any framing problems beforehand.

Other blog posts you might like:

Color is a fun way to set the mood

The ABCs of framing

Specialty mat cuts add a creative look

The More You Know…

When you are at a frame shop, do you hear terms you aren’t familiar with? Does it sometimes feel like a foreign language? We’ll take you back to school – grab a pen & paper and let’s begin on the ABCs of Framing!

How many terms did you know?

Most of them are familiar, but if you knew all 26 – you must be a framer!

If you knew 15, you’ve had several pieces framed OR you listen to us when we talk.

If you knew 5, we need to see you more often – Stop in today!

Dress Up Your Chalkboard

A chalkboard: The old school way of communicating. Still a great way to capture notes. Here is an elegantly framed chalkboard worthy of the classroom’s attention. Dress up your chalkboard with a custom frame!

Remember your vacation every day!

Travel, souvenirs and memories – they go together like a hand in a glove. Some of the best travel memories are triggered by the souvenirs you bring back from vacation. They tell a story. By preserving those souvenirs with custom framing, you can have those travel memories forever. What’s your favorite travel story?

Travel memories & stories

Etching from Italy

While strolling the avenues of Florence, you found a street artist who was selling etchings of the very view you were looking at – the Piazza Del Duomo. How could you resist? Now it hangs in your office to give you a mini vacation from work.

Sunset photo of the Islands

Hawaiian sunsets never disappoint, and it’s hard to take a bad photo of such rich colors. Neutral framing lets the bold view stand out.

Redecorating your home office

This last year you’ve most likely spent more time in your home than you thought you ever would. You may have even rearranged some things around to create a home office or noticed that your home office needed a redo. A little paint, a new rug and fresh art – that will work! Vacation photos and travel memories make the perfect addition to help take your mind off work occasionally.

Tip: If you are working with an interior designer, talk to them about incorporating your travel memories and souvenirs into a design plan.

See some of our other blogs for additional tips and resources:

It’s all in the details with quality framing

What’s your style identity?

Framing newspapers, articles, and other printed media

Are the walls closing in? A new framing project can help.

Bringing art home from vacation

While on vacation, you fell in love with a painting that had already been framed. The question is… do you ship it home that way? How much do you love the frame? Will the dealer or artist reduce the price if you don’t want the frame? How much would it cost to ship it home framed?

If you decide to bring the painted canvas back unframed, ask the dealer or artist to remove it from the frame – DO NOT cut it off the frame! Take the staples out of the stretcher frame. Cover the painting with glassine and roll it up (not tightly) and put into a tube – plastic is best. That is the least expensive way, and then you can have it framed exactly the way you want it.

If it is a piece of art on paper, and fairly small, cover both sides with glassine, and secure between two pieces of hardy cardboard. If it is small enough, you should be able to transport it in your luggage. If not, shipping it should not be expensive. Once it is safely home, remove it from the cardboard and take it to your framer so your travel memories can be properly preserved.

Frames from around the world