So we asked an art expert for actionable advice on picking a cohesive picture frame color and style. Jeffrey Feigenheimer is A.I. Friedman’s corporate framing director and has a ton of experience picking frames for iconic artwork. He shared a handful of simple design ideas for common artwork types you may have in your home.
Natural Wood Shadow Box
A shadow-box frame makes a poster (or an inexpensive online print) appear more like real art. This one is 15⁄8 inches higher than the poster, which draws attention to the image. Ask for a mat that covers the lettering, even if it’s wider at the bottom, for a look that’s even more upscale.
Wide White Wood
A white two-inch matte frame is an excellent pick for a white wall. It makes the artwork seem lofty like it’s floating. It’s another way to give a poster a clean, polished look, even with visible lettering.
Narrow Black Metal
A poster’s lettering can be just as graphic as the art itself. So when the text shines, Feigenheimer uses a frame that picks up on it, like a thin black one. This frame pairing is especially effective if the poster has a beautiful, bold font.
Wavy White Wood
If you want to make a custom print look even more like the original artwork, frame it up to the edge, covering the white border. The example above is a beach scene, so Feigenheimer kept the look light with a white frame with grooves resembling waves.
Raw, Rustic Wood
The art’s subject can inspire your frame choice. Whitewashed wood makes you think of a seaside cottage, so it’s a natural fit for this scene. For a darker, woodsy landscape, Feigenheimer might use a rich-toned, knotted wood.
Narrow White Border
A lightly textured mat in a soft neutral can calm down a rough feature in your artwork, like a rocky mountain or billowing waves. Pair with a simple, thin white frame, making the mat your standout element.
A Color From the Painting
A simple trick is to focus on the object that stands out—here it’s the watermelon—and pick a metallic frame in that shade. If you skip the mat, the color has more impact. Keep metal frames narrow; a slight shimmer is all you need.
Earthy Dark Wood
Chocolate brown is an excellent choice for warming up a crisp image like this. Ignore the wood furniture in the room and pick a brown close to the colors in the art instead. Feigenheimer likes a wide white mat to keep the look from getting too heavy.
Barely-there Border
To play up a dramatic aspect of the art, like a black background, pick a frame that matches. This frame is metal, but a lacquer frame would have the same effect. Revealing a portion of the print’s white border gives the illusion of a double mat.
Detailed Dark Wood
You can’t go wrong if you take a cue from the photo’s style. This one is retro. If you imagined the furniture in this woman’s home, it would be pretty old-school. So Feigenheimer went with a stained beveled frame and a traditional linen matting.
Glossy Blue + Muted Mat
The texture of a piece of art is a great starting point for picking a mat. For example, to draw on the soft sweater and the deep blue skirt in the image, Feigenheimer used a blue lacquer frame and suede matting. The smaller second mat in the same color is just an elegant add-on.
Neutral Wood
A classic natural frame with a white mat makes the photo the main attraction. That’s why galleries often use this combo. And it’s so versatile that it works in any type of room, alongside all styles of furniture.
