I had a thought a couple of months ago about how not knowing how to frame may intimidate some clients, especially those who are new to collecting art. I decided that I wanted to learn a bit more so that I could produce some options for my clients and get them thinking about that next step. Working with a local custom framer I set out to see what kind of suggestions I could make to my patrons. The picture above is taken during a consultation at my local custom framer Framagraphic.

Framing does come down to personal taste, for example this light green frame would look great in a place where the decor has cleaner lines, lots of white or playful colour. But it could look out of place in the wrong setting. What I liked about this option was that the green brought out the warm peachy tones of the background sky.

One of my clients who purchased two miniature paintings chose a very nice two window mat so that she could frame the two together. This looks really great to me and she also chose a thicker 8ply mat so the bevel shows that depth which some how makes the miniature paintings even more precious and small feeling.

Here is the same work in the client's home:

I feel like it's hard to go wrong when you stick to black, white and grey frame options. I personally love a white mat with a white frame such as the one below by another of my client's who bought this print off me a few months ago.

Here is a close-up which show that this client's frame actually has a slight wood grain to it which somehow compliments the texture in the snow. 

A good custom framer like Framagraphic can explain these subtle aesthetic decisions to your clients and guide them to creating the perfect frame for your work. I'd definately encourage you to go chat with your local custom framer, especially if you create work on paper.