Why Custom Framing Makes the Best Holiday Gift (And Why You Need to Start Now)
If you are still looking for the right gift, here is one that people do not forget.
Holiday gift framing in San Francisco is something we do a lot of at Underglass, and every year the same thing happens: people come in during December hoping to make it work, and we have to deliver some honest news. Custom framing takes time. Not because we are slow, but because it is done right.
That said, we always find a way. December orders are possible, but the options get more limited the closer you get to the holidays. Some frames are made to order or hand finished by our vendors and need weeks before they even ship to us. The earlier you bring your piece in, the more we can do with it. November gives us the full range. December we work with what is available.
This post is for the people who want to get ahead of that.
Why Framing Is a Gift Worth Giving
There is a category of gift that does not get returned, does not sit in the corner, and does not get forgotten after a week. A framed piece of art, a photograph, a drawing, a keepsake, something that already means something to the person receiving it, falls into that category every time.
What makes it special is the thought behind it. You did not grab something off a shelf. You took a piece that mattered and made it into something they can live with every day. That is a different kind of gift.
At Underglass we have seen it go many ways: a parent’s handwritten recipe framed for a grown child. A wedding photograph finally given the frame it deserved. A drawing a kid made years ago, pulled out of a box and turned into something that hangs on the wall. The piece that just means something.
The Logistics: What Actually Goes Into a Custom Frame Order
This is the part people do not always think about, and it is worth explaining.
When you bring a piece to us, we design the framing together: frame, mat, glazing, mounting method. Once we have a plan, we order the materials. Most of our frame vendors keep stock on hand and can turn around a shipment quickly. But some of our frames come from specialty vendors across the country and ship ground. Others are made to order for that specific project. And some finishes, like hand gilding, are done by hand at the source and can take several weeks before the frame even ships to us.
Once everything arrives at the shop, we get to work: cutting the frame, assembling the corners, cutting and fitting the mat, prepping the artwork, and fitting everything together with the right conservation materials. That process takes time too, and we do it carefully.
We are also, to be straightforward about it, a busy shop. Underglass has been in the Castro for over 40 years and we have a loyal base of customers who come back year after year. The holiday season is our busiest time. We take on every project with the same care, but we can only do so many at once.
All of that is why custom framing typically takes us five to six weeks from the time you drop off your piece to the time it is ready.
Framing Someone Else’s Art as a Gift
This is a question we get every year. Can you frame something as a gift for someone else, even if it is their piece?
Yes, and it works beautifully. Here is how people usually handle it: bring the piece in, tell us who it is for and what their home looks like, and we will design something that fits them. Some people like to loop in the recipient for the design conversation, especially for a larger or more personal piece. Others prefer the surprise. Either way works.
If you do not have the piece yet and are planning to give the framing as the gift itself, we can also talk through that. A gift framing consultation is something we are happy to do.
The Pen Drawing That Started This Post
The piece that prompted us to write this is a small pen drawing of three dogs, seen from above, all looking up at you. On torn sketchbook paper, with Joyeux Noël and a nod to Café du Soleil in SoMa.
We built a shadowbox around it, about an inch and a half deep, with a pale green textured silk mat covering the inside walls. Ash frame with a whitewash finish, chosen to echo the sketchbook paper. The torn edge floated and visible, lifted just enough to cast a shadow line.
It is exactly the kind of piece that deserves a wall. And exactly the kind of project that takes time to do right.
Bring It In This Month
Holiday gift framing in San Francisco at Underglass means bringing your piece in during November. That gives us the time we need to source the right materials, build the frame properly, and have it ready before the holidays.
Come in, bring the piece, and we will figure out the rest together.
📍 Visit Underglass in the Castro
🔗 Request a quote
Open 7 days · Castro District · San Francisco