What's In a Frame? - A Guide to Picking the Right Frames for Your Walls
A frame does more work than it gets credit for. The same print can look completely different depending on how you style it. On a gallery wall, where multiple frames sit together, those choices build up fast. Get it right and the whole wall feels curated. Get it wrong, and it can feel cluttered and thrown together.
What's actually in a frame?
1. The frame itself The outer structure, usually wood or metal, that gives the whole thing its shape and style.
2. The mount The border of card between the print and the frame edge. Not every frame has one, but it's the easiest way to change the look of your framed print, and it stops the artwork touching the glass.
3. The glazing The glass or perspex protecting the print. Worth paying attention to if your wall gets direct sunlight, since some glazing reduces glare and UV fading better than others.
4. The backing board The bit nobody sees. It sits behind the print to keep it flat and protected. A flimsy backing board is often why a framed print starts to bow over time.
Wood vs Metal (and Everything In Between)
Wood frames suit most interiors and art styles. They're warm without being fussy, and they read as timeless rather than trendy. If you're building a gallery wall with prints in different styles, wood frames are the safest way to make everything look intentional rather than mismatched.
Metal frames lean more modern and a little delicate, which works well for minimalist prints or typography.
PVC/plastic Frames are budget-friendly, lightweight, and come in many colours and patterns with lots of modern and quirkier options.
If in doubt, wood is a classic. It's the frame equivalent of a good pair of jeans.
Let's Talk Colour
Choosing frame colours can be tricky, and like all things, there is no one size fits all answer, but here are a few tips to help you get started:
| Your wall | Best frame colour | Why |
|---|---|---|
| White walls | Black | Gives definition and contrast |
| White walls | Natural wood | Softer, warmer feel |
| White walls | White | Almost disappears, minimal and chic |
| Coloured/dark walls | White | Pops against the darker background |
| Coloured/dark walls | Black | Works, but can feel heavy unless intentional |
| Mixed gallery wall | Any | Consistency matters more than the colour itself |
The rule that matters most: on a mixed gallery wall, pick one frame colour and stick to it across every piece. It's the single easiest way to make a wall of different prints feel like a considered collection rather than a pile of things you own. Choosing a frame colour is mostly about your wall, not your art.
To Mount or Not to Mount?
A mount does two jobs. It protects the print, and it makes it look bigger and more intentional than its actual size. A 5x7 print with a generous mount in an 8x10 frame reads completely differently to the same print in a 5x7 frame.
Rule of thumb:
- Small prints → benefit hugely from a mount
- Large, bold prints → can often go without one and still hold their own
✓ Pro tip: Match your mount to your wall colour, not your frame. It's an old gallery trick: a mount that blends into the wall rather than matching the frame makes the print itself look larger and more the focus.
Framed vs Unframed: When It Actually Matters
Choose unframed if:
- You're renting, moving soon, or not ready to commit
- You want to choose your own frame later
- You'd rather print at home and skip the decision for now
Choose framed if:
- You know exactly where a piece is going
- You're not planning to move it any time soon
- You'd rather the guesswork was taken out of it entirely
Building a Gallery Wall That Actually Works
A few habits make gallery walls look pulled together instead of chaotic:
✓ Keep frame colour consistent. Mixing sizes is fine. Mixing five different frame colours rarely is.
✓ Vary sizes, not styles. A mix of small, medium, and one larger anchor piece reads better than everything being roughly the same size.
✓ Leave breathing room. Roughly 2 to 3 inches between frames is the general guide. Tighter can work but gets busy fast.
✓ Lay it out on the floor first. Always. Every time. Save yourself the extra nail holes.
✓ Go odd, not even. Three or five pieces feels considered. Two or four can look accidental. It's a quirk of how people group things visually, but it holds up almost every time.
✓ Anchor with your boldest piece. Put your heaviest or boldest print at eye level. It gives the eye somewhere to land first, so the smaller pieces around it feel like they're orbiting something rather than competing with it.
✓ Tape before you drill. Cut the outline of each frame out of paper (or use painter's tape directly on the wall) and stick it up first. Live with it for a day before a single hole goes in.
The Short Version
A frame is doing a surprisingly large amount of visual work.
- Match the frame to your wall, not just your art
- Keep your frames consistent
- Use a mount for anything on the smaller side
- Don't be afraid to leave a print unframed for now if you're not ready to commit
- On a gallery wall, go odd numbers and tape it up before you drill
The right frame doesn't compete with the art. It just makes sure the art gets noticed.
Browse framed and unframed prints, in black or white Ayous wood from renewable forests, at By The Bard.