WHY DOES PICTURE FRAMING COST SO MUCH?

Good question…and one that comes up often !

Have you ever gone to a frame shop and been surprised by the cost of professional picture framing?

This is actually a pretty common reaction to hearing the cost of anything built by a professional to custom specs. It’s not only picture frames that can seen pricey…Think of hand made one-of-a kind furniture, tailored clothes, handmade shoes, fine art, tattoos, designer eyeglasses, hiring a chef for the evening…anything at all that requires a professional to help you do your project right! It can even be the plumber or electrician, the cabinet maker of the tile installer, the auto mechanic who installs brakes on your car, the waiter or waitress who delivers exceptional service, or any number of professions that are skilled and capable of doing the work for you beautifully. Do these things sometimes cost a bit more than off the shelf stuff? Sure! But they’re worth it!

That being said, picture framing is perceived as being so expensive for many reasons. So, let’s talk about VALUE, which is really the operative word here! Value is a word that is synonymous with expensive, but the meanings are sometimes almost opposite. Where ”expensive” typically means something priced above its actual worth, “value” means it’s worth what it’s priced. Picture framing then is a valuable thing to do, not an expensive thing to so – because, when it’s done right it really does add value to the item that’s being framed. Sure, some throw away items are not wroth it… that’s what thumb tacks are for! A great frame not only protects and preserves its contents, it is a work of art in its own right. This awesomely designed work of framing art enhances and elevates the object it frames. Frames give a piece its character, its provenance, and help to tell the story of the art or the object inside-all the while quietly serving and protecting the frames contents. It takes a professional who’s been trained in the art of design, and the technical aspects of framing to make a beautiful frame that protects its contents. These items aren’t just glued in! They are actually attached by hand by the least invasive methods possible to do no harm.

Independent picture framers are a very unique group of artists and crafts people who have a desire to help you display your treasures. They are not out to get you, they aren’t getting rich, but they are making a living. Some of the issues that are important to framers are: preservation, decoration and engineering/technical of how to hang something on the wall.

A good framer will discuss all of these elements with you and give you suggestions to really show off your frameable items… They aren’t automatically going to assume you want the cheapest option, because that isn’t always the best option! We will recommend glass that prevents fading of the mats and contents of the frame; we will show you a frame that is the right size and color to show off the items that are being framed. What we are after is the very best way to display your items. That doesn’t mean it has to cost a lot though! If you let your framer know that you are working with a budget, we will do our best to show you selections and offer suggestions of ways to work within that budget. We offer good quality, affordable framing options…Just ask!

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