Custom picture framing tricks with mats

One of the most overlooked parts of a picture frame is the mat. We often overlook them, and rarely look at them for more than a second or two before shifting our gaze to the artwork encased within the frame. However, they play a pivotal role in defining how that artwork looks to us. How so, you ask? Read on.

Larger Mats Work Wonders

The size of the mat or border you see in finished frames matters a lot. In most cases, the larger the mat, the more striking your artwork or picture will look. Imagine looking at your artwork from across a large room. What will draw your attention to the actual picture more:

A wide, crisp white border around it, or a narrower, light brown one? The mat makes your pictures look even more striking, so don’t even think about trying to save money by opting for smaller mats! Wider mats make pictures look sleeker and more contemporary, much like what you’d find in a high profile, contemporary art gallery.

Layering Mats Is Cool

Layering mats is a great way to make a picture look contemporary and chic. If you match the bottom mat’s color with the frame, and use a lighter color on the top layer, it makes the picture look cleaner, and hence better.

White Is Overpowering

White can be a very overpowering color for a picture frame’s mat. It looks great but sometimes, it can be a bit too much. For such times, a subtler gray or light brown might be a better option. Browns work great with golden frames, while grays are sublime with silver or metallic finishes. Off whites and similar neutrals work best with dark wood.

Even Out The Odd

We all have a collection of pictures and artwork of varying sizes that we can’t manage to make them look good on the same wall. That’s easy to fix. Get a frame to fit your largest picture in, while making sure the mat is two to three inches wide.