A few of my favorite frames for art prints!
Before we get to the frames—I have to mention my dearest beloved, white space…. Our prints include white borders for three reasons:
to give relief to the eye between the art and frame edge.
so the title and signature aren’t lost on the back of the print (the viewer gets the gift of “title context” that original painting viewers don’t always get—unless it’s in a gallery setting with a label!)
to make framing easy, no mat required! Consider it a virtual mat.
I love the flexibility that comes with framing artwork. If you’ve got a piece you love, you can change up its frame as your home, style, and the way you use your living space evolves. In my own home I love an eclectic mix of modern with vintage… I usually keep it sleek + simple with framing, but I have done my fair share of antique frame scouting… Will share about that on a later date.
Below are a few of my favorite simple and affordable frames for abstract art prints...
These simple natural wood frames found on Amazon — for 16x20 and 11x14 prints.
I’ve seen a few people recommend Haus + Hues frames from Amazon! Recently tried them out and I was impressed. This brand in particular has a few nice natural wood options in quite a few sizes that I’ll link below... I never mind ordering from Amazon since returns are super easy if something doesn’t work out!
My #1 recommendation for 16x20 prints, the Hovsta frame from Ikea.
You really can’t beat this one as far as style and value. If you don’t mind acrylic vs. glass, this is an excellent pick and my #1 recommendation for 16x20 prints! This one is worth checking out if you’ve got an ikea in your area or you can order it online! I’ve used this for multiple pieces in my home. Some of which the hardware is falling out but only because I use them for most of my print photoshoots.
For this frame, I truly can’t tell that it’s acrylic and not glass once it’s hanging. This is not typically the case for most inexpensive frames with acrlyic (it can easily have a wavy appearance especially in larger frames).
My favorite part about this frame is the spacer it comes with. You don’t typically see spacers in less expensive frames. The spacer allows for breathing room between the glass (acrylic) and the print which gives a nice depth and shadow that feels high-end.
Another great Amazon find — for 18x24 prints.
Very similar to the Haus + Hues listed above. I’ve seen another artist recommend these, and I think it’s nice to shows similar styles in all sizes. Perfect for a few of the 18x24 print options I’ve got. These do not come with a mat so are perfect for our 18x24 prints as is…. OR if you’re someone who likes the matted look you could put an 11x14 or 16x20 here with a custom mat. I typically order from matboardsandmore.com. I’m working on a future blog post that will outline step-by-step how to frame and custom mat art prints at home.
Framing can take a bit of trial and error but is worth the effort. You also can’t go wrong if you prefer to take your print to a local frame shop to have it professionally done. If you have questions or have your own favorite frames that I can add here, please let me know!
An important note:
I have a lot of people ask if the frames we offer for paintings can be used for prints. Nope! Those just work for original paintings. Framing a painting (no glass, open faced) and a print (backed, usually involves glass) is super different!
