Frame Destination

Nobody has cookie-cutter memories of special events, school plays, vacations with family, major work milestones, or other significant life events. These are the memories we capture in photographs and display on our walls, desks, and scatter around the rest of our spaces.

While the moments we record in pictures are special and unique to us, not everyone gives much thought to the frames that hold and display their important photos. Some simply go to a store and pick out something the right size (or close enough) and call it good for their most precious memories.

While basic, common frames do get the job done, using a basic frame doesn't do anything extra to make your photographs look their best, set them apart, or to draw attention to them in an attractive way.

The Problem with Standard Frames

Standard picture frames do indeed get the job done, they don’t do much else. Basic frames work in a snap if all you want is a quick solution for a photo that will sit on a shelf or hang on the wall (and that you’ll likely forget about). But a custom frame offers many more possibilities and can enhance both your pictures and your space in multiple ways.

For one thing, standard frames are only created in a few sizes. Frames that measure 4x6 inches, 5x7 inches, 8x10 inches, and so on, are familiar and acceptable. But not all pictures look their best at these sizes, nor are they taken to conform to these standard measurements.

Digital photography and image editing offer many possibilities when it comes to creating exactly the right image via cropping and resizing. If you take a picture that is slightly off center or that includes something undesirable at the edge because it was impossible to capture the image without it, or if you simply decide you want to be creative and create a picture in an unusual size, you can do it very simply.

But without the right size and shape of frame, it is difficult to display that creative, special image in the best possible way.

It's also worth noting that not all display spaces conform to standard frame sizes, either. If you have a narrow strip of wall, for example, a standard size frame may not be the right proportion to fit it.

But a narrow photograph, especially one you have cropped to a custom size, may be the perfect thing to display there – if you can size a picture frame to suit. But Frame Destination has a different idea of “standard.” Frame Destination offers frames in 60 different standard sizes, along with mountboard, matboard, glass, and acrylic to frame and display your photos with professional quality, giving them the respect they deserve as special memories for you and your family.

Unique and Professional Framing Options

If you want to give your photos a special display, there are more options than basic picture frames. One example is a floater frame. These types of frames display the full surface of a picture printed on canvas in such a way that it appears to "float" inside the frame without touching. These frames provide immediacy of viewing, and also add a three-dimensional touch to the display, making it more interesting and attracting attention to your photograph.

Another way to ensure your pictures are the center of attention is to mat them properly inside the frame. A mat provides a buffer between your photograph and what surrounds it, setting it off and allowing the eye to see it with fewer distractions. Matboard can be purchased in a wide array of colors and can be cut to fit inside any photo frame.

Most often, however, customers narrow it down to just two: wood or the more modern metal. Wood may have reigned as the chosen picture frame for thousands of years, but the modern picture framing customer has a much larger selection from which to choose.

These classic and beautiful materials are readily available and are easy to work with, shape, and customize. Wood picture frames and metal picture frames are available in a wide range of colors with plenty of different styling details.

Tips on How to Choose Between Wood Picture Frames and Metal Picture Frames

While the decision eventually comes down to personal preference—not just availability or convention—there are a few other considerations when choosing between a wood and metal picture frame for any artwork.

Check Out the Artwork

The earliest picture frames were made from wood and remained the favorite frame material for years; classic and traditional pieces, such as still life paintings, portraits and landscapes, often look more “at home” within a wooden picture frame.

The intricate details and play of light and dark (chiaroscuro, for the art buffs) in many of these paintings are complemented by the warmth and elegant detail—sometimes ornate—of traditional wooden frames. This warmth can also carry over to more contemporary, colorful works that blur the lines between traditional and modern.

Modern works, such as abstract paintings, minimalistic work and photography, most commonly black and white photography, are suited to the simplicity of metal frames. With their no-fuss look, metal picture frames support less intricately detailed works of art rather than compete with them.

Check Out the Room

A framed piece of artwork will have a home somewhere inside yours—look to that room’s style for guidance. A warmly-toned living room outfitted with an overstuffed sofa and a roaring fireplace is the perfect setting for a wide mahogany picture frame, while modern rooms call for metal frames.

Though metal picture frames often feature fewer color options than its wood counterparts—white, black and silver are the most common colors in metal picture frames—their simplicity allow them to complement many styles of décor.

Check Your Budget

Because wood frames are composed of a pricier material and must be hand-glued and nailed together, they are slightly more expensive than the typically aluminum metal frames. The more ornate the wood frame gets, the more expensive it is.

If you plan on purchasing a complete frame kit, including mat board, mount board and glazing, at museum conservation-level quality, it may be beneficial to first look at your budget. Those who wish to frame multiple photographs or prints—to create a gallery wall, for example—may find it easier on their budget to purchase metal frames or mix and match the materials.

Check Out the Damage Potential

While wood frames are sturdy, they are sometimes susceptible to damage. Wood frames may also be heavier, which can make it easier to drop, and subsequently dent or ding, them.

Customers who plan to move their frames, have children with curious hands, or house pets that love to knock things over may find it easier on their wallets to choose metal frames, at least for the time being. Metal frames can be repaired or have sides replaced, while wood frames wear their scratches and dents with pride.

Wood Picture Frames

Case for wood frames -- Wood is a warm natural material, which can be stained in many beautiful colors or painted in an even wider selection of colors. Wood is a classic material for creating picture frames because it has been the traditional material for frames for centuries, owing to its ready availability and ease of use.

Traditional decorating style often calls for wooden picture frames, either to match other furniture items or simply for its own classic style and detail. Wood can be pale, dark, or a range of shades in between, or even gilt, giving you many choices when it comes to complimenting or contrasting the look and mood of any given image.

A wood picture frame can also be made with either very simple detailing or with very ornate levels of detail, offering a range of textures to suit your photographs, your personality, and the décor of the room in which you will display the photo or artwork.

Metal Picture Frames

A metal picture frame offers a more modern alternative to wooden frames. Frames made out of metal provide clean lines and are well suited to a variety of picture frames modern décor styles, although a carefully chosen metal frame can look at home with a more traditional decorating style as well.

Décor that recalls certain historical periods, such as the Art Deco era, also calls for the clean lines and cool look of metal picture frames to fit in among other period touches.

Metal frames, unless painted, may not offer the same range of colors as wooden frames do, but there are still plenty of choices to suit different photos. A narrow metal frame can also recede easily into the background, which in some cases is what you want for your photo display.

The cool look of metal offsets many photographs, especially photos shot in black and white, and provides a very classy look.

Metal picture frames also offer some extra practicality over wooden frames in instances when a frame becomes damaged. If one side of a metal frame becomes scuffed, dented, or broken, it is possible to replace only the damaged side.

Metal frames can be disassembled and reassembled, making it a simple matter to replace a broken or damaged piece. Wooden frames, however, cannot be easily disassembled once nailed together. A damaged wooden frame needs to be replaced completely.

Wooden frames and metal frames are both beautiful options for picture frames and provide classic or contemporary looks at cost-effective prices. Frame Destination offers a wide range of both wooden and metal frames in many standard sizes to suit your picture display needs.

Picture frames can be made out of, well, practically anything. Glass, acrylic, stone, concrete, molded plastic, recycled materials, and many other items and materials can be used to make creative frames. Most often, however, customers narrow it down to just two: wood or the more modern metal. Wood may have reigned as the chosen picture […]

The GalleryPouch™ was invented by photographer, author and consultant Andrew Darlow and co-developed with Frame Destination, the exclusive producer and retailer of GalleryPouch™ products. Made of heavyweight 3/16 inch polyethylene bubble, this protective bag is the ideal way to protect nearly any type of artwork for transport, shipping, and/or storage. The transport factor is what I wanted to test for my recent art show.

Now you may be saying to yourself, “I’m a careful person. Can’t I just wrap a sheet, piece of plastic or bubble wrap around my art to transport it?” Maybe, however, these items are not necessarily designed to handle certain situations. For example, check out how many different “opportunities” to damage my artwork occurred during the 40 minutes it took me to drive from the office to the gallery.

1. Carrying it from the office to my car in 20 mph wind gusts.
2. Sliding around in my trunk on the drive down.
3. Carrying it through a busy parking garage and navigating 3 narrow doors.
4. Getting on a crowded elevator.
5. People pressing against it in the elevator.
6. Someone knocking it out of my hand as I’m getting off the elevator.
7. Getting bumped during art intake at the gallery.

Basically, I took my art through a moving obstacle course! Thanks to the GalleryPouch™ Bubble Bag though, all of my framed paintings and photographs arrived without a scratch on the frames or glazing. These bags are reusable and made exclusively at Frame Destination’s facility. Check out the GalleryPouch™ blog for more information or contact us with questions.

Hi, I’m Joely Rogers, Vice President of Frame Destination. I am also a long-time visual artist, and I’d like to share my experience using GalleryPouch™ Bubble Bags to transport some of my artwork to a gallery in downtown Dallas. The GalleryPouch™ was invented by photographer, author and consultant Andrew Darlow and co-developed with Frame Destination, […]

A picture frame has many purposes: not only is it designed to protect and enhance your photos or artwork, it should complement the rest of your home décor and, as an added bonus, be easy to hang on the wall. As you are selecting the right picture frame, keep a few tips in mind: consider the best color and material, determine if you want a mat board, or decide on a custom frame.

Choose the Right Material for Your Picture Frame

Frame Destination offers a variety of picture frames in metal and wood. When choosing between a wood and metal frame, you must consider a number of factors: the artwork, the room and your budget. Classic paintings look best in wood frames, while metal frames complement modern work. However, if a room’s overall theme is more rustic, a metal frame might feel out of place. Wood frames may cost slightly more than metal frames due to their material, especially if the frame features ornately carved details how to chose the right picture frame .

Choose the Right Picture Frame Color

Wood frames are generally available in natural shades, but can be painted or laminated white, black or with gold or silver accents. Metal frames are commonly available in black, white and shades of silver or gray; the new Nielsen Profile 117V has since introduced bright red, blue, purple, green and turquoise to metal frames.

The color of the picture frame depends again on the artwork and the room. Contrasting a light picture with a dark frame can create a nice visual effect, such as a black and white photo inside a black metal frame. However, dark frames may draw attention away from works featuring light colors, such as watercolors. To ensure you choose the right color, you can order sample mouldings of all Frame Destination frames, including straight sides and corners.

Choose Whether You Want a Mat Board

You may choose to include a mat board in your picture frame to further enhance the look. Using a mat board can also help keep your picture in place or hide rough edges that you may not want to display. A mat board will add to the overall size of the frame, as it provides an extra border around the artwork. Like picture frames, mat boards come in a variety of colors; depending on the type, you may have dozens of colors from which to choose, ranging from the standard white and cream to bright red and black. Frame Destination also offers mat board color sample sets to help guide your decision.

Is a Custom Frame Necessary?

If you have a print or other piece of artwork that does not fit in any of the standard picture frame sizes, you may need to purchase a custom frame. In the Frame Destination shop, all standard sizes are listed for convenience; to purchase a custom frame, you simply check “Customize this preset frame size” and enter in the details of your artwork. The frame will be recalculated automatically depending on your choices, including mat board border widths and artwork overlap — and everything is still customizable — until you reach the custom frame you want. If you still aren’t sure, you can upload your artwork or print to view it in the frame before you order.

When framing a picture, you may opt to include a matboard. The main reason to do this extends beyond aesthetics. In fact, when using a high quality mat board, it is possible to protect your picture or artwork from being discolored by the acidic properties of a wood frame or from external factors, including the wall the frame is being hung on. The mat creates a buffered border that prevents acid from destroying what you are trying to protect.

Frame Destination carries three types of mat boards to give you the desired color, price and properties for your framing project. Each of these mat boards has specific properties that make them more desirable. Take a look at each one before making a decision about which is right for you and your next custom picture framing project.

Rag Mat Board

The highest quality mat board you can purchase is made from cotton. It is typical for any mat boards made from cotton to be called ‘rag.’ It is the same term used when talking about paper documents or even the paper used for making money. Rag is extremely durable and will stand the test of time by blocking all acid from getting to the picture.

The board consists of separate plies of rag board, all dyed to the color you choose. The colors available are somewhat limited and the pricing is higher than any other mat board, but it is a fair tradeoff to have the kind of mat board used in the finest museums. All rag mat boards are considered conservation quality and will best protect your framed art or photos.

These mats can consist of 4, 6 and 8 plies, making a thickness that ranges from 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch. Frame Destination carries rag mat board from Bainbridge (AlphaRag) and Crescent (RagMat).

AlphaMat Mat Board

Museums also sometimes use the AlphaMat mat board because it consists of cellulose perfect for archival framing. Cellulose is a less expensive mat board than rag but has all of the same beneficial properties. In addition, cellulose can provide more color options for inside your frame.

When looking at cellulose mat boards, you will notice they are described as 4-ply. Keep in mind this does not indicate there are four layers of mat board. Instead, it indicates the approximate thickness of the mat board. There are no choices in thickness for this type of mat board – the depth of these mats at Frame Destination is 1/16 inch – but it is still a museum quality board that will endure for as long as you need it.

Papermat Mat Board

Paper mat boards are the least expensive of all the mat boards, but they also do the least to protect your pictures over time. These boards are treated with calcium carbonate to neutralize the acidity of the wood pulp used to make the mat. The problem is that this buffer will deteriorate over time, and the acidity of the wood in the paper mat will eventually damage the picture. These mat boards are recommended for temporary framing and should only be used for a period of up to five years.

Papermat comes in a variety of colors – from bright and bold, to subdued and neutral – making it a good choice for home décor (as long as it’s changed according to the commendations). Frame Destination carries Papermat mat boards with a soft cream core or a crisp white core.

Gallery wraps are a great addition to any home or office. Simply hanging the canvas wrap on the wall may create a look that is a bit austere. You can accentuate the look of your canvas wrap when using floating picture frames from Frame Destination. These attractive and easy to use floating frames create the perfect display for any canvas. Best of all, these floating frames make it possible to see the entire surface of the canvas so nothing is missed. The design of the floating frames calls attention to the canvas while leaving an open space between the frame and the canvas, so all the attention is remains on the canvas.

Choosing the Right Frame

The floating frames available from Frame Destination are all hand-assembled and come in a variety of colors and styles. White and black frames are by far the most popular, but steel and brown are available as well. You can choose between the Profile F120 and Profile F140 series frames.

The Profile F120 series includes the following dimensions: floating picture frames

Rabbet: 1-15/16"
Height: 2-5/16"
Face Width: 5/8"
Total Width: 1-3/4"
Ideal for S140, S260, S320 Stretcher Frames

The Profile F140 series includes the following dimensions:

Rabbet: 2-3/16"
Height: 2-5/8"
Face Width: 7/16"
Total Width: 1-3/4"
Ideal for S150, S280 Stretcher Frames

As you can see, the F120 is a little thinner but is perfect for presenting the gallery wrap. The choice will depend on which frame looks best with your gallery wrap and how you would like to present it. Your choice may also depend on the width of the gallery wrap itself.

Mounting with Floating Picture Frames

Once you have your floating picture frame, mounting your gallery wrap is a snap. Each package includes the floater frame, 6 offset clips and screws or 12 offset clips and screws, and a hanging kit (wire, screws, screw hole hangers and wall bumpers). In 10 simple steps, you will go from having a gallery wrap and a frame to having a completely presentable floating canvas. The canvas will appear to be floating in the middle of the frame to create a wonderful display for any kind of gallery wrap you might have. Position the floating picture frame with the canvas where you want it in your home or office and you will notice the difference it makes.