Recommendations for Fine Arts Framing in the Seattle Area
June 19, 2024 1:18 PM Subscribe
Does anyone have recommendations for places that can frame/mount a largish (approx 3 ft. x 5 ft. or 100 cm. x 150 cm.) acrylic on canvas painting in the Seattle area? Bonus points if the framing shop can provide trustworthy guidance on the best options for this piece since this is my first time dealing with something like this and I'm not really sure about what I want.
Best answer: Northwest Art and Frame near me in West Seattle has yet to do me wrong. Once you find the frame section (just walk past all the nicknacks directly to the back half of the store) you can discuss your project with the framers. They are typically unpretentious and creative, though it’s been a few years since I had anything custom framed by them so hopefully that’s still the case but no promises.
The other place I’ve had good framing experiences at was Annie’s Art and Frame in Ballard. That was over a decade ago so no clue what they are like now, but they were willing to do fun stuff like cutting custom shaped mats and framing some vintage embroidery and were good about talking options without being overwhelming.
Be prepared for sticker shock; custom framing is super expensive no matter where you get it done, although some places will be a lot more clear on pricing and keep you on budget better than others. It helps to go in with an idea of the end goal not in terms of visuals but use case - do you need it to be protected from the sun or humidity? Will it be hung on drywall and needs to be lighter or will it be on plaster or brick? What type of lighting will it have? Do you want it to be easily removed from the frame in the future? Stuff like that can really help guide the process.
posted by Mizu at 4:03 PM on June 19
The other place I’ve had good framing experiences at was Annie’s Art and Frame in Ballard. That was over a decade ago so no clue what they are like now, but they were willing to do fun stuff like cutting custom shaped mats and framing some vintage embroidery and were good about talking options without being overwhelming.
Be prepared for sticker shock; custom framing is super expensive no matter where you get it done, although some places will be a lot more clear on pricing and keep you on budget better than others. It helps to go in with an idea of the end goal not in terms of visuals but use case - do you need it to be protected from the sun or humidity? Will it be hung on drywall and needs to be lighter or will it be on plaster or brick? What type of lighting will it have? Do you want it to be easily removed from the frame in the future? Stuff like that can really help guide the process.
posted by Mizu at 4:03 PM on June 19
Best answer: Seconding Mizu with Northwest Art and Frame. I had a roughly 30”x20” photograph framed by them a couple of years ago and I was pleased with both the process and results. And yes, custom framing pricing is always higher than I expect, but I am pleased to support this local business.
posted by oxisos at 6:16 PM on June 19
posted by oxisos at 6:16 PM on June 19
Best answer: I use Baas Framing and they are great. They have dine prints, vintage posters and and unusual shadowbox project. All turned out great and the quality and customer service matched the price.
posted by brookeb at 6:50 PM on June 19
posted by brookeb at 6:50 PM on June 19
Best answer: Seconding both Annie’s and NWA&F. I have worked with both and they do a thorough, skilled job.
posted by matildaben at 12:13 AM on June 20
posted by matildaben at 12:13 AM on June 20
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I went with Northwest Art & Frame for this piece. They were very nice and one of the staff recognized a related artist's work from the Seattle Art Museum. I also brought some other pieces I've had for a while and been meaning to get framed to Lucky Rabbet, just because I liked their pun.
In terms of sticker shock, it wasn't too bad since it turned out I didn't really need an outside frame and just needed the piece gallery wrapped.
If this thread is still open when my pieces are done, I'll update with the results but it seems unlikely given the expected 4-to-8 week turnaround time.
posted by mhum at 2:32 PM on June 22
In terms of sticker shock, it wasn't too bad since it turned out I didn't really need an outside frame and just needed the piece gallery wrapped.
If this thread is still open when my pieces are done, I'll update with the results but it seems unlikely given the expected 4-to-8 week turnaround time.
posted by mhum at 2:32 PM on June 22
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They have a whole ipad visualizer app that'll let you preview your piece with candidate framing styles. I did this for my last framing job and it came out A+.
posted by Sauce Trough at 3:20 PM on June 19 [1 favorite]