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When it comes to custom framing a photograph or print, there are a number of decisions - like color, material quality and size - that will determine how your finished project will look. These same decisions will also determine the final cost. We can help you find materials that fit your taste and your budget - whether it's clean and simple or rich and elegant or perhaps somewhere in between.

If you are starting with a smaller budget, the key to a successful design is keeping your frame, matting and mounting simple. Keep the focus on your artwork, then choose add-ons and upgrades as your budget allows. 

If you have a larger budget to work with, different design techniques and an upgrade in the quality of materials can add value and elegance to your frame design.  Simple enhancements, such as a hand drawn line and additional spacers, can create a more upscale look. Fabric mats, foamboard spacers and larger mouldings are also simple ways to take your frame to the next level.

When you can invest more money in your project, you can upgrade from a basic matboard to a hand-covered fabric mat, suede mat or multiple mats and higher quality mouldings. You can even embellish the design with decorative corner and cuts. Ask us about what options are available for your framing project; we'll work with your budget to create a design that fits your style.

How long has it been since you were last in? The weather has improved and spring is in the air! It's the time of year for Spring Cleaning! And as you're doing your cleaning, don't forget to look at what's hanging on your wall. Is it time for a new look? Maybe a new mat will freshen up that beautiful print that's been on your wall for years. Maybe it needs a makeover,  a new mat and frame to give it a face lift. If it looks good, is the frame tight? Does it need a touch up? Or how about the glass? If it was framed 10-15 years ago it might not have had Conservation Glass put on it and you might want to consider changing it.

Mention this blog and we'll give you a discount on your Art Spring Cleaning!

Stop by today!

We are excited and proud to introduce our newest matting designs! Photo Word Mats. Photo Words mats are exactly what they sound like: mats with words cut into them. The letters form the windows to display photographs.

Have you been on vacation to Tahoe, Monterey, Yosemite or Hawaii and taken some beautiful family pictures you'd like to display to remember your trip? Have you received several new photos of grandchildren and want a special way to show them off? Has a special event or holiday recently happened that you want to keep alive with photos in a very unique way? Come in and let us help you pick out a Photo Word Mat to commemorate any of your special photos!

Creating unique frame designs for multiple photographs is our specialty. Whether you've been on vacation, had a special occasion, or went into Grandma's attic, we will help you capture these moments in a beautiful frame design that will fit any home or office decor.

Photographs, memorabilia, and artwork often feature themes. We can style a great design using wonderful mats and interesting shapes for openings. Multi-level mats can add depth and dimension to your photographs. Mats of various textures and colors can also make the overall presentation pop out. Designs can be also drawn on the mats with lovely inks to give a one-of-a-kind look to your special memories.

Vacation photographs of your trip to the Grand Canyon might lend themselves to a sand-colored mat, for example, outlined in a brown mat with a beige mat underneath. Adding levels to a mat design can accent the different colors in your photos.

Photographs can be combined with other items to remind you of a special event or provide a home for a valuable collection. Highlighting your favorite baseball cards with a pennant accentuates the team's colors and adds color to the walls they are displayed on.

Medals and ribbons with a photo make a winning combination. contrasting the ribbon colors and those in the photograph with different mat colors and textures offers an outstanding visual mixture. Is there a medal in an odd shape that would be a great focal point for your child's all-star photo and team picture? We can design a mat that makes you feel as if you can reach out and touch the award.

What about those multi-generational photographs from your attic? Think about arranging them chronologically or in different sizes with several layers of mats. Ordinary photographs are brought to life with this creative matting technique.

Our goal is make your memories last a lifetime, and framing for special occasions is our specialty. Stop by with your photographs, awards, and memories, and we will create a one-of-a-kind design just for you.

According to the American Oxford Dictionary, a picture "mat" is defined as a "decorative border of cardboard or similar material, placed around a picture to serve as a frame or act as a contrast between the picture and the frame." While that's an accurate description of the function of a matboard, it's also so much more! Today, matboards are being made in colors and textures that not only follow home décor trends, but also come in textures (real or faux), such as suede, silk, or velvet that will add impact. We can mat your art with the latest color hues that will be right at home on your walls. And when adding texture, we can use a dark purple velvet mat border around that dramatic print to add depth and richness. There are also, for example, matboards made of rice paper that do much to enhance the final "feeling" of a calming Asian-inspired piece.

Textures can make quite a statement when used to line the back of a shadow box project as well. When you see your treasured items positioned against the backdrop of a rich green suede mat, for example, You'll know they've found their rightful home.

And that's not all. Yes, sometimes a simple square or rectangle-shaped mat is just the perfect design for a piece of artwork. but often your artwork will have even more impact when set in a "fancy" mat cutting design. there's many shapes and techniques we can apply to the matting of your art, and you'll be sure to appreciate the difference once you see them. So bring in your artwork and items and ask about our specialty mat textures and design cuts. We'll be happy to work with you to find a look that you'll love!