I pick frames and matting based to make the artwork look best, then to coordinate with the room. So you can use different woods or gold frames, but probably not do something really modern like a chrome frame or a painted colored frame. Also, make sure you look at the heft of the frame relative to the size of the art work....skimpy frames look funny on large art and vice versa.

Here was my latest art/framing combo for my traditional library.

Would like to add to Annie's advice that chrome or simple painted frame may not be good with your space, but it is perfectly fine to use modern or contemporary art in your space.

Just need to frame the art in a suitable way to transition into your space and look good with the art. This could be with teak with a simple reveal, natural cherry, or a minimal look that faces the side of the art with framing but not the front.

It might help to think in terms of historical time. Your room is "traditional". If you were to place your room in some historical time, what time would that be? If your room were a movie set, in what year would the movie take place? 1900? 1920? 1950?

THEN, consider a frame. Brushed chrome? Probably won't "go" because in your room's historical time, brushed chrome won't have been invented yet. It will look "out of place" because it is "out of time".

I'm scrambling my syntaxes, but I hope this makes sense.

The first rule is the frame must fit the art.

If you have a lot of art, especially good art, I think you can frame each piece however you'd like vis a vis the room and other art, because to me then, it says "I collect art and the primacy is given to the art as art not decor".

By contrast, if you have one large piece, you need to pick something that enhances the art AND works in the room. That doesn't mean an exact match so much as a mood match, KWIM?

I agree with the first comment that mtnrdredux made. Allow me to rephrase it somewhat, too:

The art + the frame IS the art.

Personally, I think it's a mistake to choose a frame (and mat) to fit a room rather than to complement the piece of art itself. Art first; then the room. IMO.

I also agree with everyone who said that a modern or chrome frame probably would not work in your setting. In a way, however, that shouldn't even be an issue. Why? Because, if you choose art that is to your taste - just as your furniture and color choices are - then it's highly likely that the art, unframed, will go with the room. And thus, so, too, will whatever frame you choose.

I understand what mclarke is saying, but I don't entirely agree. It depends on how closely you adhere to a style. If your room is indeed 100% formally traditional, and in a narrow cherry+brass+gold color scheme, then mclarke may be correct - especially, as mtnrdredux says, if you have only one (or a few) major pieces of art. OTOH, we have a kitchen with a stone wall, beams, wood a' la 18th century, soapstone, etc. You might think that only frames like those one would have seen in such rooms should be used. But in the room are a large oil framed in a modern manner; a Ben Shahn print in a modern frame; an oil in a dark wood frame; an oil in a lighter wood frame; two works on paper in traditional gold frames; an oil in a silver wood frame; two posters in wood frames stained (painted?) black with narrow red trim; two Mercer tiles in gold frames and colored mats; and a metal folk art figure hanging, unframed, from a nail. Some (all?) of you may not agree, but I think everything in the room works beautifully.

And yet, to agree with others: we also have a room in a fairly narrow color palette, one that reads rosy-pink or sort of honey-colored, rosy pink, and greens. With the exception of one oil in a medium-toned wood frame and another in a dark wood frame, everything else in the room is framed in a medium-toned gold frame. I think that that gold complements the room's other colors and vice versa. I would not want a silver frame in that room, even if in a traditional style with carving etc, because silver would clash horridly with the color of the walls....

***But it's not an issue because any piece of art that would look good in such a frame would not look good in that room. As opposed to the kitchen, for some reason the color palette in the room and, perhaps, the overall feel and style, seem to demand certain colors in the art as well.

What an interesting thread. Frank, I hope you are finding it helpful.

What none of us have asked, and what we probably SHOULD have asked, is -- what is the artwork you are framing? What will be going into your frames?

Lynxe, I'd love to see your kitchen and it's art...

Hello Everyone. Wow.. Thanks to all for your comments. It was very enjoyable reading - especially for someone like me who is "decorating challenged". I think most of responses make the same point which is the frame needs to work more with the artwork more than match a room. I still think it would be nice to meet both criteria!

To answer some of your questions.. I'm not really sure what "historical time" my room would be placed in, but can tell you that what I had meant by traditional was the the darker cherry wood furniture (all with Queen Anne legs - couch; wing chairs; buffet; coffee table) and the brass lamps, etc. The curtains a cascade jabot with a wider gold/burgundy stripe with a damask in the background.

I want to make it clear that I don't collect art and its by no means a love of mine. As some of you who may have read my posts before - I'm just trying to complete a room by venturing into areas I know little about but can learn!

I don't have a large budget and feel I have done exceeding well with the room makeover and not spending alot. The wall art should be no exception. I got some great websites from many of you on where I could find some artwork which I have been researching. I am not too proud to say that I would buy from Kmart; Penney's; Home Goods or Sears if I could find something that worked.

With that said - I am finding alot of stuff - ranging from $10.00 to $250 or more but the issue is that I am not a good judge of what type of artwork/picture will work in my room and - what I am finding has frames that are not cherry or brass. So, thats the reason for my post.

I found a great authentic oil painting at Home Goods the other day surrounded by a gold frame. I got it for $74 but when I brought it home - my teenage daughters shot it down by saying that the frame was too fat and the painting was a tropical setting which was not traditional and wouldn't work well in the room. Needless to say - its going back.

I could go on and on but I think you get the point and my dilemma. Thanks to all!

Based on your comments, I would only buy framed art. Custom framing is very expensive, even "cheap" black frames from Michael's.

You may want to try yard sales, consigment shops, Goodwill, Etsy. You want want to look for prints instead of oils. which can be less costly. Or, look for old frames and then find art to fit

In a traditional room, you can hard go wrong with maps, or a grouping of maps. They can be hisotrical local maps, maps of where you are from, maps of favorite vacation spots, etc. I got vintage maps on etsy for like $10 each,

Ah!

First of all -- go over to art.com -- and simply scroll through the types of artworks that might appeal to you ...

Yes -- in a traditional setting -- reproductions of antique maps or antique botanicals or landscapes or still life or portraits might appeal to you -- and work in the room ....

Then -- as you shop around -- your eye will be ready to find an artwork that would work -- in your room and budget.

As for the color of the frame -- I vote for cherry OR brass OR painted (in a color that works for the room -- for example -- black frames -- that would tie in with other black accents in the room)

And -- of course -- another option would be to hand a mirror and then add artworks on each side OR even plates ....

Here is a link that might be useful: art.com -- antique maps JUST an example of artworks

Frank... if you know what a "jabot" is, you are NOT "decorating challenged"! : )

I love mtnrdredux's suggestion of maps. There is an endless supply of maps. All sizes, all places, all colors. You can find interesting maps for any place you might have visited, for example.

Art-purists should close their ears for my next suggestion... which is, you can even find old maps on the internet and print them out onto buff paper -- and viola! Antique maps! Scuff them up, soak them in a tea bath, dry them out, and you have REALLY antique maps.

love, love, LOVE that idea of maps! Those could work beautifully! I've no idea where you live of course, but frank1203, if you can find maps, even reproductions, of your town, county, whatever as they were in the 1800s or 1700s, that could be very cool indeed. And no, mclarke, I don't need to close my ears: repros on antique-y paper are a fantastic idea.

Equally good: repros of something like Audubon bird prints, or authentic old prints of animals, florals, whatever.

frank1203, from the way you describe the room, I think you do want very traditional frames. There's nothing wrong with shopping on line for art, but, depending on where you live, you might do equally well at antique stores and such.

Also, mtnrdredux is correct: custom framing can be very expensive. We tried, without success, to sell a piece of art I was bored with. It almost sold, but almost ain't money in the bank now is it? ;) We then realized that our dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that it was in its original frame & mat (artists rarely have the funds to frame things other than in simple things they have at hand). We decided that, since we're stuck with the piece, we should have it framed so that we can enjoy it. The framer chose a beautiful mat to complement the piece and I found The. Perfect. Frame. Suffice to say that the cost to have this thing reframed will be more than half the cost of the artwork itself. But the upside is that it is going to look stunning.

But expensive frames & mats aren't necessary either. What matters is whether the whole thing - art + frame - work together and please you.

"Lynxe, I'd love to see your kitchen and it's art..."

OK, I'll have to figure out how to post pics. But mtnrdredux, when/if I do, please bear in mind that the kitchen's not done. Maybe I'll ask you all to suggest a color for the wall. :) It's got us totally stuck, so we've left the walls as they had been when we moved in, and the color is very nasty indeed. And then, after you've helped with paint colors, maybe you guys can suggest lighting fixtures as well.

Thanks again to all. Looks like we have a very popular thread here.

I really like the maps idea and will pursue that. As I was thinking about that - it made me think of another possibility along the same lines. My home was newly constructed about 16 years ago and was designed by myself and my Dad and drawn by an architect.. I still have the finalized blueprints, although they are on large "rolled-out" paper. Maybe I could find a way to shrink that up and make a presentation in a large frame. What do you think? If you like the idea - how can I do that?

I like framed maps, but they're becoming common. Many people have them now which takes away the individuality of the homeowner.

I was lucky in that most of my "art" was given to me, but I found some nice prints at garage sales, calendars and greeting cards.

You can also buy an inexpensive frame and spray paint it to match the print.

Blue prints may read too modern IMO. But architectural drawings would work if they are in softer tones. We used a print of the Brooklyn Bridge in DH's study which is a traditional room with cherry cabinetry. The art has deckled edges which adds to the look. The art wasn't quite tall enough for the space, so I put a piece of driftwood my grandfather found and gave to my mother oh so many years ago to add height and texture. (colors are truer in the first pic, not the 2nd.)

Subject is important when selecting art as you found out with the palm tree business. So you really want the subject, the colors, the frame to all work together. If you want to frame maps, don't do the bright blue high-school pull down type map, but something more traditional looking.

I love the idea of the blueprints -- just make sure that you carry that color throughout the room .....

As for the size -- start by measuring the existing ones -- and see if it will do for the size of the wall ...

Check around the Web -- try googling for information on hanging or re-sizing the blueprints .....

Assuming they can work size and colorwise, I love the idea of blueprints because it has meaning to you. Personally, assuming you had extras, if it made them look nicer, I would not be adverse to tea-staining them a bit, too.

I have historical maps of the area where I grew up, where DH grew up, and where we used to live. But my favorite map is a map that was my Dad's when he was in the service, and has his notations on it.

Maps are not terribly original, some may say even hackneyed, but if they resonate with you they almost always look good!

I love maps, nautical charts, even historical documents. I have a print of the Declaration of Independence (art.com) hanging in a bedroom just because I love it (the document, not the painting of the signing). We cruise once a year and I've been looking for a nautical chart of the Caribbean that suits me.