Our picture framing professionals have been in the industry for years. We have framed a large range of images and objects. Below are some colour matching tips for you to consider.
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A frame should be a lot more than a hanging mechanism or just to fill a space on the wall; it should showcase the image in a way that accentuates the colours, style, and look of the image as well as the theme of room which it is going to be placed in.
To make sure that each piece of art or photo is being framed in the best possible way, I have compiled a guide/ checklist that you can read if you are unsure about what frame to choose.
As a rule we frame the art to bring out the best in the piece itself, but we also want to make sure that it will not clash with the other aspects in the home or office.
Questions to consider before you choose a frame.
It is very important to know exactly where you will hang it as the style and colour of the room must be considered when choosing a frame.
We have developed a function on our website which allows you to upload a picture of your own room in the room view section.
Once the room image is uploaded you can then put the frame you are considering to buy on the wall so you can see exactly what the picture frame will look like on your wall. Take advantage of this tool, experiment with different colours and styles so that you can be 100% sure about what you have chosen to buy.
The frame style you select needs to work with the style of your image. For example, a black and white portrait would look sharp with a chunky, black or a sleek brushed nickel frame. In contrast, a full-color image of the whole family outdoors would work wonderfully with a natural wood frame.
If you have an ultra-modern straight edge theme to your room especially if you have a modern office, you should be choosing frames which are flat and plain.
If you have a French shabby look to your room, you should choose frames which have a white wash or pale gold frames. These frames are a beautiful soft accent to the very pastel colours of a French shabby theme.
If you have a royal 1900s look to your room, stick to gold or silver frames with heavy details. It will add a very rich style to your room.
If you have a tribal look to your room, go with frames that have a dark wood tone which look shabby and old. Those frames look like natural unrefined wood and complement a tribal feel to the home.
If you have a beach theme room with natural materials, keep it consistent with natural shabby timber frames and light colours. Be inspired by nature.
Remember to always match the frame to the same colour of the wood stain as your furniture.
If the room has many windows with a lot of natural sunlight, select non-reflective glass so that there is no annoying reflection on the glass of the picture. This will ensure the art/photo is clearly visible from all viewing points in the room.
It is important to choose an accent colour in the image and work with that colour. If the colour is black and white, it always looks best to stick with black or white frames with a black or white matt board. This allows the image to be classically presented rather than being overtaken by another colour in the frame or matt board.
If you have an artwork with an overwhelming amount of one colour, tone it down by adding a contrasting matt board. Identify the colour that is minimal in the artwork and bring it out by matching the matt board to the minimal colour. You can use 2 matts to create depth.
If the image is quite dark and you want to brighten it up, add 2 matt boards, the top being a darker one light and one dark, to accentuate the highlights in the image, this will create a brighter look for the image.
If you find the image is too small for the wall it will be hung on, you can increase the size by increasing the size of the mat board on the image.
Choose a frame that looks as though it came from the same era as the art/image. This will ensure that it matches the artwork.
Make sure that your frame is scaled correctly for your image. I often see beautiful pictures in skimpy frames, which really takes away from the picture. Measure the width of your picture; your frame should be about 15%-20% of that. If you choose not to mat your images in any way make sure that your frame is scaled correctly to compensate for the matting.
When choosing matt boards, consider the colour in the background of the image, the aim is to create a complimentary contrast to the background, not match it.
The width of the matt board should be equal to or greater than the width of the frame so that the frame doesn’t overcrowd the art.
Spacing multiple matt boards can provide an interesting depth for the image you are framing.
Now that you have framed your beautiful piece of art make sure you hang it where people can see it! I seldom see pictures hung at the correct height. Artwork should be at eye level for the adults in the home. This means that the center of the images will typically be around 170 cm above the finished floor. This is true for all photography and art work, including oversize pieces (excluding pictures hung above fireplaces or headboards and on stairwells). What good are beautiful images if they aren’t in your line of site?
Use Our online Framing Module to upload your image, select a frame, and view your finished product on your wall!
