L7

April 11, 2009 10:26 AM

I have four relatively large photographs I need framed. Where in new york city can I get a good deal?

Two pictures are about 20x24 and the two others are a bit bigger. I went to the frame shop close to me and they quoted me ~250 each. I'd prefer not spending a thousand dollars to get them all framed. Can anyone recommend a place I can go? Or, alternatively, something else I could do?

posted by milarepa to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

I can't help with the specifics, but I've found it's cheaper to buy glass cut from a glass store, and bring it to the framer. This saved me a couple hundred on a 6 inch by 6 foot frame.
posted by Pants! at 10:29 AM on April 11, 2009

One Stop Framing Shop was in the delicious feed of another mefite who IIRC knew the person who wrote that review. I have not tried it out yet but intend to.
posted by mlis at 10:34 AM on April 11, 2009

another mefite who IIRC knew the person who wrote that review

that mefite is me! i trust anne. i also know and trust charlie, who compiled a great list on manhattan user's guide, although that's a few year's old.
posted by lia at 10:46 AM on April 11, 2009

err, years not year's. that's what i get for posting before i've eaten anything.
posted by lia at 10:48 AM on April 11, 2009

If you're handy you can order custom frames online and mount them yourself.

Before I had my own mat cutting kit and a source for cheap, large frames and glass, I used American Frame.

Frame shops are a huge rip off for what is essentially ultra cheap materials and only semi-skilled labor.
posted by wfrgms at 11:05 AM on April 11, 2009 [1 favorite]

I have used Skyframe Chelsea several times. Their prices were always very reasonable, and they did great work as well.
posted by extrabox at 12:45 PM on April 11, 2009

Ikea has nice inexpensive frames in large sizes. There's one in Brooklyn. You can buy matte papers & get them custom-cut at a framing or art supply store if you want to make the mounted photos look really crisp- custom-cut mattes will make the framing job look like a totally custom deal but for much, much cheaper than buying the whole frame at a framing rip-off shop.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:29 PM on April 11, 2009

(My link wouldn't stick to the frame in your size but browse around- Ikea definitely has frames in your size range.)
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:30 PM on April 11, 2009

I'm not in NY, but I do think most custom framing shops are a huge ripoff (I used to work in one many years ago!), and I strongly second buying a custom kit from American Frame. I also disagree that you need to be handy. I am not handy at all, but all you need to assemble one of the metal frame kits is a screwdriver. You can order the mount, glass, frame and backing for WAY less than any custom shop will charge. You want something simple for a photo, so there's no need to go crazy with expensive frames anyway.
posted by Joh at 9:44 PM on April 11, 2009