The Complete Framing Guide
A frame does two jobs: it protects the paper and it sets the mood of the room. The right choice is mostly about matching the frame to the artwork and to your interior, then hanging it cleanly. Here is how we think about it.
Choosing the frame colour
Oak
Natural oak is warm and understated. It suits travel posters, botanical prints and Japanese work, and it sits well in rooms with wood furniture, linen and neutral walls. Oak softens bold graphics without competing with them.
Black
Black frames give a crisp, gallery-like edge. They are the safest match for high-contrast Art Deco and Bauhaus graphics, and for black-and-white photography. On a white wall, a black frame defines the print sharply.
White
White frames disappear into pale walls and keep the focus on the image. They lighten a busy print and work beautifully in bright, minimal or Scandinavian interiors.
What a passe-partout does
A passe-partout (the cardboard mat between the print and the frame) adds a border of breathing space around the image. It does three things: it makes a print feel more considered and gallery-like, it visually enlarges the framed piece, and it keeps the paper from touching the glass. For most posters a mat is a worthwhile upgrade, especially at smaller sizes where it adds presence.
When to keep a print rolled
A rolled print is the right call when you already own a frame in a specific size, when you want to use a local framer for a custom mount, or when you are shipping art as a gift and want to keep it light. Our prints ship rolled in a protective tube and lie flat within a day or two once unrolled. Handle the edges only, and avoid touching the printed surface.
Hanging tips for a clean result
- Eye level: centre the print at about 145 to 150 cm from the floor.
- Above furniture: leave 15 to 25 cm between the top of the sofa or headboard and the bottom of the frame.
- Pairs and grids: keep a consistent 5 to 8 cm gap between frames and align either the tops or the centres.
- Fixings: use two hooks rather than one for anything 50 x 70 cm or larger - it keeps the frame level and spreads the weight.
- Light: avoid hanging directly opposite a window in full sun. Archival pigment inks are fade-resistant, but indirect light keeps any print looking its best for longer.
Matching the frame to the style
As a starting point: black for graphic and architectural work like our Bauhaus and geometric posters and Art Deco posters; oak for vintage travel and botanical posters; white to lighten colourful Japanese posters. Browse everything in all posters.
Frames are available in oak, black and white, with an optional passe-partout, on museum-quality 275gsm FSC fine-art paper. Free shipping over 49 EUR and 30-day free returns.
