How to frame the economy way

Written by chris pink on September 5, 2014 in Picture Framing

Picture framing can be very expensive or nicely affordable, depending on quite a few different things. Whatever end of the spectrum you fall into, this week’s blog post is all about framing on a tight budget. Follow these tips and you’ll end up with a quality end product that looks anything but cheap.

 Go for a classic frame and mount combination

Class is timeless. So our number one tip for budget framing is to go with an overall finish that mimics high-end quality. For example, simple black picture frames don’t cost the earth and do look great. Matched with a crisp white mount, it’ll emphasise the photo or art-work and come in at a decent price too.

Avoid overly elaborate moulding, mounts with gold lines and gilded frames, as this is where money generally needs to be spent. You’ll also need to give expensive archival quality mounts a miss (for the most part).

Smaller is obviously cheaper

Bigger and more involved frames cost money. That’s just the way it is. So if you’re not spending too much, be careful not to let your art-work get too big. If your piece is slightly too big then you may want to consider cutting down the size of the mount or using a thinner frame. We’ve lots to choose from – follow our first tip for best results.

Plastic can look good

Some people are against plastic frames, but in reality they serve a distinct purpose and can work well – depending on what it is that you are framing. Another trick is to buy in a cheaper/simpler frame and then paint or gild it yourself. Paint can be picked up for reasonable prices, and metal leaf has always been affordable, giving you a few more options (avoid true gold leaf, as this is out of the question!).