Framed abstract wall art displayed in a living room
A dark frame gives a pale abstract image a clear boundary in a room with older furniture.

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How do I choose the best frames for art prints?

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A thoughtful frame gives a picture presence without overwhelming it. Explore frame colours, proportions, mounts and gallery-wall combinations, with practical checks to help you choose a finish that works with both the artwork and the room.

Choose the Frame for the Picture First

A frame is the meeting point between an artwork and the room. It can give a delicate drawing a firmer outline, bring warmth to a spare composition or make a colourful print feel more contained. The most useful question is not which finish is fashionable, but what the picture needs around its edges.

Begin by looking at the image away from the wall where you intend to hang it. Notice its darkest marks, its lightest areas and the amount of empty space. A narrow dark boundary might echo fine black lines; a warmer finish might make sense beside earthy colours. Neither needs to reproduce a colour in the artwork exactly.

Then return to the room. Consider the furniture beneath the picture and the other frames visible from the same position. A contemporary abstract above an older cabinet can benefit from a simple frame that lets those two characters coexist. Ornate furniture does not oblige you to choose an equally elaborate surround.

Compare the whole arrangement from the doorway, then from your usual seat. If the frame is the first and only thing you notice, try a quieter finish or a different proportion. The aim is to make looking at the picture easier, while allowing its edges to belong to the room.

Cozy living room with a vintage sofa, framed artwork, and decorative items.
A framed fashion illustration sits above a sofa, with smaller framed pictures on the adjoining wall.

Compare Black, White and Warmer Finishes

Black frames give pale backgrounds a clear boundary and can connect separate pictures through a shared outline. White can feel less emphatic against a light wall, although the difference between the white of the frame, paper and paint may be surprisingly visible. Neither is automatically the neutral choice in every setting.

Warmer finishes introduce another relationship. Natural Oak or Dark Walnut options may sit comfortably beside timber furniture without matching its tone exactly. Gold can bring a brighter edge to a darker wall or pick up a small warm detail within an image. Keep an eye on sheen as well as colour: a reflective surround behaves differently from a quieter surface.

Westloft currently lists Black Wood, White Wood, Natural Oak, Dark Walnut and Gold frame-colour choices on the selected prints below. Treat those names as a starting point for comparison, rather than a substitute for checking the product information and images.

For a useful test, compare a darker composition such as the Ocean Galaxy abstract print with a paler image. The same frame can feel understated around one and quite assertive around another. Choose the relationship you prefer rather than applying one rule to every picture.

Botanical wall art prints
A horizontal botanical artwork relates to the proportions of the sideboard beneath it.

Get the Size Right Before Considering a Mount

Three measurements can become confused when choosing a frame: the paper size, the visible image area and the outside dimensions of the finished frame. If a mount is involved, it adds another border. Write down which measurement a retailer is giving before comparing two options or planning a wall arrangement.

For a print you already own, measure the sheet carefully and check the opening and internal capacity of the proposed frame. Do not assume that a familiar size label guarantees a fit, especially when the paper has a generous printed margin. For a framed purchase, use the stated finished dimensions to plan its position.

A mount can give a small image more breathing room and help it hold a larger area of wall. An image framed without a visible mount may feel more immediate. These are visual choices, but the mounting method must also suit the work: do not assume any border or glazing arrangement provides conservation protection.

Mark the proposed outside dimensions with paper templates, including the frame and mount. Try one larger outline as well as your first choice. In a room with substantial furniture, an apparently modest artwork can disappear if you judge its size only from a close view on a screen.

A fashion illustration framed beside a large mirror shows how different outlines can share a room.

Build a Collected Wall with a Little Repetition

A group of pictures does not need identical frames to feel coherent. Repeating one element is often enough: a dark outline, a similar warmth, a consistent mount colour or a related depth of profile. Let that repeated element do some organising while the subjects and sizes provide variety.

Lay the group on the floor before reaching for a hammer. Start with the largest or most visually assertive piece and arrange the others around it. Pay attention to the empty spaces between frames as well as the pictures themselves. A narrow gap in one place and an accidental-looking chasm elsewhere can distract from an otherwise thoughtful group.

Different subjects can share a wall when they have a clear visual relationship. The fine detail of the Scottish Stag print might call for a quieter neighbour, whereas a bold graphic subject may need more space around it. You do not have to fill every gap immediately.

In a smaller room, look at the group from several positions, including the approach through the door. Keep a clear connection to the furniture beneath, while leaving room for everyday use. A collected display should feel as though it can grow, rather than having been forced to occupy every available inch.

A framed champagne-bottle image supplies a focal point above a dining-room mantel.

Choose Framing for the Way You Use the Room

A frame needs to work where the picture will actually live. Reflections are easy to overlook until an artwork is hung opposite a bright window or a lamp. Check the proposed position at different times of day and from seated eye level, especially when a glazed surface faces a regular viewing spot.

In kitchens and dining corners, choose a dry wall away from direct heat, concentrated steam and splashes. A frame does not make a paper print waterproof. The Pomegranate fruit print can supply a subject for a dining space, but its position matters as much as the finish around it.

For more room-specific advice, Westloft’s guide to choosing kitchen art prints considers placement alongside colour and scale. In bathrooms, be particularly cautious about persistent humidity and condensation; a suitable dry room may be the better home for a valued paper artwork.

Think about handling, too. A picture leaning on a shelf still needs a stable, secure position where it cannot slide or be knocked. When hanging, use fittings appropriate to the frame’s weight and the wall construction, following the supplier’s instructions rather than relying on a universal hook.

A framed bottle artwork in a bathroom setting; suitability still depends on humidity and placement.

Check the Details Before Ordering or Reframing

The final decision is a practical one. Check whether you are buying an unframed print, a complete framed artwork or an empty frame, and read what is included. A product photograph can show a styled setting without establishing the exact size, glazing, mounting method or hanging hardware supplied.

Westloft’s selected prints currently offer Print Only and Museum Framed finish choices, alongside Medium, Large and Grand format labels. Consult the individual listing for the dimensions and framing details attached to your selection. The name of a finish alone does not establish a conservation standard or a particular glazing specification.

If framing a print yourself, work on a clean, clear surface and follow the frame manufacturer’s opening and assembly instructions. Mechanisms differ; do not force clips or improvise with a sharp blade. For a valuable, fragile or sentimental work, discuss suitable mounting and materials with a professional framer before proceeding.

Finally, consider whether an existing frame can be reused. Check its condition, fit and fittings before deciding. Browse the abstract wall art collection or botanical prints with the complete framed dimensions in mind. A successful choice gives the image enough presence today and enough independence to move with you into a different room.

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Written by

Hannah Fraser

Hannah Fraser writes for Westloft on interiors, art, vintage furniture and seasonal living. Her features focus on practical decorating ideas, collected homes and the ways artwork and objects shape how a room feels.

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