How To Choose A Picture Frame
Breaking the rules in framing is one of the most compelling things about it
Style & Colour | Choosing The Right Picture Framing
Undoubtedly the most important thing to ponder when choosing the right kind of picture framing is the actual style and colour palette of the artwork. However, there are other factors to consider that relate more to the intended backdrop of your pictures. Read on for Artienda’s advice on how to choose the right picture framing for contemporary art in your home, office, or commercial space.
Bar Art | Picture Framing | Rule Breaking
The montage below gives a range of different picture framing styles, some of which would look great in residential settings, others perfect for bar art and art for restaurants. Before we get into some more detailed aspects of choosing the right picture framing for your artwork it’s important to let you know one thing: there are no rules! Sounds silly, but it’s true. You can follow rules as much as you like but what you’ll learn with experience is sometimes the best framing solution is one which would usually be considered to be ‘breaking the rules’. It’s one of the most compelling aspects of framing and one of the reasons why we at Artienda love it so much.
Picture Framing | Five Things To Consider…
1. The interior design of the space influences the picture framing choice
Before you start going crazy picking all sorts of random frames for your contemporary art it’s a really good idea to consider the décor of your home or office and then also the individual décor of the room the pictures are intended for.
Classic Interiors
If your interior design style is quite classic with period furniture pieces and traditional wall colours and fittings, then you would be well advised to look at more classic picture framing options. Therefore, have a look at gold, silver, black and natural wood options that have a classic shape such as a scoop or cushion moulding.
Contemporary interiors
If your home or office is very modern with exposed brick and steel then you could look at really chunky metallic frames or highly polished black lacquer for big impact. In many ways, modern and funky interiors are quite liberating when it comes to picture framing as classic finishes work just as well as a more contemporary art look.
If your interior design is classic you’d be well- advised to look at more traditional picture framing styles.
2. Wall colour makes a difference
Wall colour when choosing picture frames is SO important. Getting the picture framing right and working in harmony with your wall colours can make such a big difference and have a massive impact. It’s fairly obvious that you wouldn’t usually use white frames on a white wall. What’s important is not just creating a contrast but matching colours and tones that are different yet work well together. For example, try a gold frame on a neutral wall but then just see how it pops on a rich Tuscan red background instead. Black frames can look quite cold on neutral or white walls unless part of a large monochrome montage. Wooden frames in a nice oak or something similar can definitely warm up a neutral interior.
…try a gold frame on a neutral wall but then alternatively just see how it pops on a rich Tuscan red.
3. Fixtures and fittings
Fixtures and fittings not only have an influence on the style of frames that would work well but also the colour. For example, in a kitchen or bathroom if you have lots of silver or chrome fittings then try and avoid silver frames as it can all look too ‘matchy’. Go for a brass or a bullet grey metal instead so it’s in-keeping but still finds a contrast.
4. Do ceiling heights have an impact?
Given that people in the UK are on the whole of a certain height range how high your ceiling is shouldn’t make any difference. Generally, a good height for the main focus of the picture – i.e. the central area or just above – is a gallery height of around 160 to 175 cm from the floor. The height of your ceiling doesn’t have any bearing on the best height for your pictures as this will always be the same or similar. It definitely might affect the choice of picture framing you make though. Quick tips:
HIGH: If you have high ceilings bolder frame options will work better than in a snugger room with a low ceiling.
LOW: If you have low ceilings try to put in some fairly tall contemporary art pictures with portrait dimensions rather than landscape to accentuate the height of the room.
Montages featuring different framing styles can create huge interest and look fantastic.
5. What effect does the amount of daylight have?
Light vs Dark:
Light: If you have a bright, airy space with lots of natural light avoid matching the tones and colour of the walls with the colour of the picture framing. This will prevent any detail in the moulding being lost and negating the overall look and feel. If you are choosing a contemporary look frame that is see-through and made of glass or Perspex, then this style really benefits from lots of natural light and even direct sunlight coming through.
Dark: Where you have quite a space that lacks natural light you can create a positive feature by using a brightly coloured frame or something even reflective like a chrome silver mirror metal moulding that bounces any light provided by artificial lighting around the space. This approach works so well with fine art photography.
Reflective metal frames provide a stunning solution for bar art and picture framing in spaces lacking daylight
And finally…
As with any skill, practice makes perfect and hanging well-framed contemporary art in the right place is no exception. One important thing is not to worry too much about making mistakes. Artwork can always be moved around, altered, or re-purposed to hit the maximum effect button. If you’re having difficulty with any picture framing or artwork challenges please feel free to drop Artienda a line. We perform home or office visits in London and the south east to make sure we are framing artwork in the best way for its intended location. For larger jobs we also travel outside the south east to all corners of the UK.
GET IN TOUCH if you are wanting to make your art and pictures work harder for you and have more impact. Have a browse through the artists we work with in our ARTISTS section. If there’s anything you like drop us a line and let’s talk about it. And if you need art for restaurants or bar art then get in touch with Artienda’s hotel art consultants for any art consultancy London queries.
All the very best,
The Team at Artienda
