It’s easy to get stuck, knee-deep, in options when selecting finishes and styling for your custom frames. Choosing the perfect fit can seem a bit daunting at first – what will look best in your space?
Our consultants can walk you through the process in-store, step-by-step, to help you with planning or you could have a look at dedicated Framing page here to find out more.
To get all those creative juices flowing we have put together a brief guide of our most popular framing styles.
Aluminium Frame
The perfect fit for any modern space. The aluminium frame allows for a very thin profile/face and creates a sleek minimalist look. A top pick for many artists and galleries, this will bring a high-end finish to your space and can make a striking statement.
Why choose it?
The frame suits an array of different image/artwork styles and blends well into any modern setting. The minimalist design looks sleek and edgy whilst maintaining focus on the image itself. It can easily be paired with some archival elements – add one of our museum grade glass options to take your piece to the next level and help conserve it for years to come.
Aluminium frames can easily be repurposed, due to their build type, without harming the structure of the frame. This makes it a cost-effective option down the line.
Box Frame
The go-to option. There’s nothing like seeing an image mounted in a “deep-set” box frame. It creates an appealing visual depth and adds instant value to any artwork. Your work deserves some space to breathe.
Why choose it?
Box frames are versatile. Depending on your wood finish and colour, it can be altered to suit any space and can work in a variety of settings – whether personal or professional. It also accommodates most mounting methods so you have a lot of options to work with. A box frame adds body to a flat image and it has enough internal space to accommodate for 3-dimensional objects and artefacts.
Plexiglass Stand-off Frame
It speaks of sophistication and style. Your print appears to be floating on the wall with minimal distraction. Finished with brushed steel stand-off wall mounts – no outer frame.
Why choose it?
In some cases, you don’t want any distractions from an image. The minimal hardware involved in mounting the stand-off frame helps to achieve that. It looks and feels fresh and can be both serious or playful – drawing only from the content. Great to pair up in spaces or for bold centrepieces.
Floating Frame
Let your wall be the backdrop. A floating frame has an artwork/print or flat item adhered between two sheets of glass and is finished with an outer frame.
Why choose it?
Floating frames make for an interesting effect. As the artwork floats between glass, your wall or backdrop is still visible through the frame. You can choose the amount of glass “visible” around the edges of your artwork, to change the overall effect, and choose from a wide selection of suitable frame profiles and finishes. They work well to add interest to a wall grouping or as a table-top or mantlepiece addition. It works particularly well with dried flowers or thin items that you want conserved or displayed in a bare naked and scientific way. Pair that with a beautiful wooden, ornate or modern frame and you have yourself a conversation piece.
Canvas Frame
Even-though a stretched canvas can be beautiful on its own, adding a custom canvas frame helps finish off the work and gives it a platform to stand out on or to melt onto your wall.
Why choose it?
A canvas is not only considered a cost-effective way to print and mount an artwork, canvasses have been around since the 14th century and remain a popular medium for print and paint today. Adding a frame to your canvas can really help to elevate the work and turn it into a visual masterpiece. The canvas floats within the surrounding frame and completes the work perfectly. You can use accenting colours and stains to create eye-popping effects or shared neutral tones to give the work stability and strength.
Need your canvas stretched? We provide a full custom canvas stretching service for printed or painted works and various textiles.
Ornate Frame
There’s something special about the correct pairing of a painting and a beautifully made ornate frame. Frames can be made to “dress-up” or “dress-down” a work of art or image – ornate frames do well to dress things up and not only in the traditional sense.
Why choose it?
Majority of modern ornate frame profiles are synthetic. This means that they are made from a composite of various materials. Because of this, shape and form is not limited to that of a hardwood and there are hundreds of forms and styles to choose from. From simple designs for certificate framing all the way through to elaborate, gilded mouldings for older traditional works. Decision making has never been this fun.
Photographic Gallery Frame
Dual-purpose. Presentation and conservation. A gallery quality frame that preserves the content and is also there to build on and accompany the look and feel of the contained piece.
Why choose it?
Focus remains on the work and the frame is there to subtly accent it or to be a continuation of the contained concept. Although most frame types or sizes can be made archival in some form or another, a plain square or box moulding profile is a good starting point. Your print is then traditionally paired with an archival matt board with a window cut to create a frame-in-frame effect. In addition to this, a further pairing with one of our museum grade glass options creates a striking visual feast whilst maintaining the longevity and structural integrity of your work.
Natural Wood Frame
There are few things as beautiful as the natural grain of an aged hardwood. There are several hardwoods available locally – our favourite pictured above/below, Kiaat. A natural wood seems to connect to the contents of a frame in surprising ways.
Why choose it?
The tonal depth and texture of natural woods merge well with all kinds of work and colours. It creates a warm surrounding and tends to suit a wide range of interior styles. It can accent modern, vintage or traditional works and does wonders to any 3-dimensional items such as jewellery, old workman’s tools, records, etc. A natural wood will always add an element craftsmanship to your frame as the join and finish is bare.
Now that you have more of an understanding of the variety of framing options available to you from Orms Print Room & Framing, let’s get your space looking beautiful! Have a look at dedicated Framing page here and reach out to us by emailing framing@orms.co.za should you need assistance or advice.
