Sometimes a frame just stops you.
We were pulling options for a Magnolias print, a beautiful piece, rich in color, elegant in composition. And when we held a rust-brown powder-coated finish next to it, we looked at each other and that was it. The gold surfacing along the frame’s edges picked up the warmth in the stems and blossoms perfectly. Unusual. Elegant. Exactly right.
That moment is honestly one of our favorite parts of this job.
But finding the right frame is only half the story. Here’s how we think about the other half.
Conservation Framing: What It Actually Means
We talk about conservation framing a lot, but we want to be clear about what we mean, because it’s not just a buzzword.
The goal is simple: protect your art so it looks as good in 30 years as it does today.
Here’s what we did for this piece, and what we do for most of the work that comes through our shop:
Spacers between the art and the glass. This is one of the most important steps people don’t know about. When glass sits directly on paper or a print over time, it can stick – especially in humidity. Spacers create a small gap that prevents contact entirely. They also give the framed piece a subtle sense of dimension that you notice even if you can’t quite explain why.
We hide the spacers under the lip of the frame, so from the front you just see the clean, floating art.
Museum glass. We use museum glass on pieces that deserve it. It blocks 99% of UV light, which is the main culprit behind fading and color shift over time. It also has an anti-reflective coating, so you’re always looking at the art, not the room behind you.
For a print like this, a piece someone chose deliberately, invested in, and wants to live with for years, museum glass isn’t a luxury. It’s just the right call.
How We Choose Frames: It’s More Intuition Than Formula
People often come in with a clear idea of what they want. Sometimes they don’t. Either way, we start the same place: the art.
Color, mood, texture, where it’s going to live in your home: all of it matters. A piece that lives in a warm, wood-toned space wants something different than the same piece in a bright, minimal apartment.
For this Magnolias print, the painting’s palette did the work. The rust-brown frame with gold surfacing wasn’t a “safe” choice, it was a specific one. That’s the difference between a frame that holds art on a wall and one that makes the whole thing sing.
If you’re not sure where to start, come in. Bring the piece. We’ll figure it out together – that’s been the whole point since we opened our doors in the Castro.
We Frame More Than You Think
Custom picture framing isn’t just for paintings. We frame:
- Art prints and posters — from gallery-quality fine art to that vintage concert poster you finally want to do right
- Photography — your own work, or archival prints you want to protect
- Canvas — stretched or unstretched
- Objects and memorabilia — jerseys, medals, letters, anything with meaning
- Documents and diplomas
- Needlework and textiles
If you’re wondering whether we can frame it, the answer is almost always yes. And if there’s a conservation consideration like fragility, sensitivity to light, unusual materials, we’ll talk through it with you before we start.
Come See Us in the Castro
We’ve been here for over three decades. The neighborhood has changed a lot; our commitment to doing this work well hasn’t.
If you’ve got a piece sitting in a closet or a corner that deserves to be on your wall, bring it in. We’d love to help you figure out what it wants to be.
Underglass Custom Picture Framing
Castro District, San Francisco
