Frames · materials · finishes
The Frame Library is where profile, material and finish come together.
Wood species is only one part of the decision. The profile, finish, sheen, inner edge and the way the surface catches light often matter more than the name on the sample.
Wood is not one look
Choose wood for the design and the build—not a prestige ladder.
Walnut, maple, oak, cherry, poplar and other woods bring different grain, color and working properties. None is automatically the “better” frame.
Walnut and darker woods
Often effective when visible grain should contribute richness without applied ornament.
Maple and lighter woods
Can stay light, be toned, stained or painted. Its fine texture works well for restrained contemporary profiles.
Oak and pronounced grain
Useful when a more pronounced material texture or furniture relationship is desired. Finish can emphasize or quiet the grain.
Cherry, ash and specialty woods
Ash, cherry and specialty woods may be appropriate when grain, color or a design specification calls for them.
Pine, basswood and finish substrates
Pine, basswood and other woods can be excellent bases for painted, gessoed, gilded or wrapped frames where the surface treatment is the visual material.
Laminated and finger-jointed construction
Laminated or finger-jointed construction can be useful when a project needs long, straight and stable components.
The finish can completely change a simple profile
Wax, stain, lacquer, paint, powder coat, leaf and patina each affect color, sheen and edge definition. The best material choice is the one that serves the artwork and the physical requirements of the frame.
Metal, acrylic and specialty materials
Metal and specialty materials give us lines that wood cannot.
Thin welded profiles, painted metal, leather and other surfaces can make the frame lighter, sharper, quieter or more architectural.
Welded and fabricated metal
Metal is useful when a crisp structural line, unusual depth or specialty fabrication is needed.
Painted and powder-coated metal
Powder-coated or patinated surfaces can relate to hardware, architecture and contemporary interiors.
Acrylic and transparent materials
Clear or colored acrylic can create a highly contemporary frame or support component where transparency matters.
Leather-wrapped frames
Leather-wrapped frames can bring warmth and texture without carved ornament.
Fabric-wrapped surfaces
Wrapped liners and occasional specialty frames can introduce textile surface and color.
Custom mirrors
Custom mirrors, including beveled mirror options, are designed as architectural/decorative pieces with the frame profile, proportion and installation worked out together.
Finish vocabulary
Finish changes the way a profile behaves in the room.
Matte, rubbed, polished, painted, gilded and patinated surfaces react to light differently. The same profile can become quiet, crisp, warm or formal simply by changing the finish.
Wax / clear finish
What it emphasizes: Natural grain and low-to-medium sheen. Typical design use: Hardwoods, restrained contemporary work, furniture-like frames.
Stain / dye
What it emphasizes: Wood grain with shifted color or value. Typical design use: Matching or relating to architecture without covering the wood.
Paint / lacquer
What it emphasizes: Opaque color with a consistent sheen. Typical design use: Contemporary frames, custom color, architectural coordination.
Gold / silver leaf
What it emphasizes: Reflectivity, warmth and layered surface. Typical design use: Period frames, finished-corner work, selective contemporary accents.
Patina / glaze
What it emphasizes: Depth, age, recess and reduced brightness. Typical design use: Softening new finishes, emphasizing carving, matching period character.
Powder coat
What it emphasizes: Durable, consistent color on metal. Typical design use: Welded metal and architectural frame systems.
Mats, liners and the inner field
Mats, liners and inner elements shape the space around the artwork.
They can add quiet breathing room, a strong architectural edge, a fabric surface or a small line of color before the eye reaches the outer frame.
Matboard
Available in multiple plys, colors and surface textures for window and float presentations.
Thicker and layered mats
Thicker mats create a stronger edge and more physical separation from glazing.
Fabric-covered mats and liners
Fabric-covered mats and liners can be wrapped by hand; sensitive artwork is isolated from fabric as required.
French lines and ruled details
Ruled decorative lines can reference traditional presentation or add a restrained color accent.
Specialty mat openings
Computerized mat cutting supports precise non-standard openings, multiple windows and repeatable geometry.
Liners, slips and inner frames
Fabric, wood or gilded inner elements can mediate between art and a larger outer frame.
How we use the Frame Library
The Frame Library is useful because we edit it for the piece.
We usually bring a few strong directions to the table first. The depth of the collection matters when we need to keep looking—not because the client should have to work through every sample.
At the design table we usually begin with a few directions that make sense, then move outward when the piece suggests a different possibility. The breadth of the library is valuable precisely because the client does not have to settle for the first adequate option.
Bring room finishes or material samples if they matter to the project.
Paint, fabric, stone, millwork and metal references can all help when the frame needs to sit in a specific interior.