Best Picture Frames for Art Prints | Framing Guide

Best Picture Frames for Art Prints | Framing Guide

Art prints are one of the easiest ways to add personality, colour and style to your home. Whether you have bought a print from a local artist, ordered a limited edition piece online, picked up a poster-style print, or received artwork as a gift, the right frame can make a huge difference.

The best picture frame for an art print should do three things:

• Protect the print
• Suit the artwork
• Work with the room where it will hang

A good frame should enhance the print without overpowering it. The colour, size, mount and finish all play a part in how the finished piece looks on your wall.

Why framing matters for art prints

An art print can look completely different once it is framed. A simple black frame can make a print feel sharper and more modern. A white frame can create a fresh, minimal look. A wood frame can add warmth and texture.

Framing also helps protect the print from handling, creasing, dust and everyday wear. If the print is special, signed, limited edition or sentimental, it is worth choosing a frame carefully rather than forcing it into the nearest standard size.

Best frame colours for art prints

The frame colour is usually the first thing people notice. The best choice depends on the colours in the print, the wall colour and the style of the room.

Black frames for art prints

Black picture frames are one of the most popular choices for art prints. They create a strong outline around the image and work well with modern, graphic and monochrome artwork.

Black frames are ideal for:

• Line drawings
• Typography prints
• Black-and-white artwork
• Bold graphic prints
• Photography-style art prints
• Modern interiors
• Gallery walls

A black frame can help bring out darker tones in the print and make the artwork feel more defined.

White frames for art prints

White picture frames create a lighter, softer finish. They work especially well with bright, colourful or minimal prints.

White frames are ideal for:

• Scandinavian-style prints
• Children’s prints
• Pastel artwork
• Botanical prints
• Coastal prints
• Minimalist artwork
• Light and neutral interiors

A white frame can help the print feel fresh and uncluttered, especially on pale walls.

Wood frames for art prints

Wood frames add warmth and a more natural feel and are some of the Best Picture Frames for Art Prints. They are a good choice if you want the frame to feel softer than black but more noticeable than white.

Wood frames are ideal for:

• Landscape prints
• Nature artwork
• Botanical prints
• Vintage-style prints
• Warm-toned artwork
• Neutral interiors
• Traditional or rustic rooms

Oak-effect and natural wood finishes are particularly popular because they work well with many different colours.

Gold frames for art prints

Gold frames can give an art print a more decorative or premium look. They are especially effective with traditional artwork, rich colours and vintage-inspired prints.

Gold frames are ideal for:

• Portrait prints
• Classical artwork
• Dark floral prints
• Vintage posters
• Warm-toned artwork
• Decorative interiors
• Statement wall pieces

A gold frame can look elegant, but it is best used when it suits the style of the print and the room.

Should art prints have a mount?

A mount is the card border that sits between the print and the frame. It can make an art print look more professional and give the image more breathing space.

Mounts are especially useful for smaller prints, limited edition prints, photography prints and artwork with detail near the edge.

A mount can help:

• Create a gallery-style finish
• Add space around the image
• Draw attention to the artwork
• Make a smaller print feel larger
• Stop the frame from feeling cramped
• Give the finished piece a more premium look

White and off-white mounts are the most popular because they suit most prints. A black mount can create a dramatic finish, while coloured mounts can work well when matched carefully to the artwork.

Frames with mounts vs frames without mounts

Both options can work well for art prints and are among the Best Picture Frames for Art Prints.

A frame with a mount is best when you want a more refined, gallery-style look. This is a good choice for fine art prints, signed prints, photography, illustrations and smaller artwork.

A frame without a mount is best when the print is designed to fill the frame. This is common with posters, graphic art prints, typography prints and bold wall art.

If the print already has a white border, you may not need a separate mount. If the image runs right to the edge of the paper, adding a mount can help stop the frame from feeling too tight.

Best frame sizes for art prints

Art prints come in many different sizes. Some are standard A sizes, while others are measured in inches or printed to custom dimensions.

Common art print sizes include:

If your print is not a standard size, a made-to-measure picture frame is usually the best option.

Matching the frame to the style of artwork

The best picture frame should suit the artwork itself.

Minimalist art prints

Minimalist prints usually look best in simple frames. Thin black, white or natural wood frames work well because they keep the focus on the artwork.

Avoid very decorative frames unless you want a deliberate contrast.

Colourful art prints

For colourful prints, choose a frame that supports the image rather than competes with it. White frames can keep the look fresh, while black frames can add stronger contrast.

Natural wood frames can soften bright colours and make the print feel warmer.

Botanical and nature prints

Botanical prints often look good in wood frames, white frames or slim black frames. Natural wood works particularly well because it complements the organic subject matter.

A mount can help botanical artwork feel more delicate and considered.

Abstract art prints

Abstract prints can handle bolder frame choices. Black frames, wide frames, gold frames or large mounted frames can all work depending on the colours and style of the piece.

For very busy abstract prints, a simple frame is usually the safest option.

Vintage-style art prints

Vintage prints, travel posters and retro artwork often suit black, wood or gold frames. A slightly warmer frame finish can help the print feel more authentic.

If the artwork has aged tones, an off-white mount may look softer than bright white.

Photography art prints

Photography prints often look excellent in black frames with white mounts. This creates a clean, gallery-style finish that suits both colour and black-and-white photography.

For softer photography, white or wood frames can also work well.

Choosing frames for gallery walls

If you are framing several art prints together, think about the full wall rather than each frame on its own.

There are two main approaches.

The first is to use the same frame colour for every print. This creates a clean, coordinated gallery wall, even if the prints are different styles or colours.

The second is to mix frame colours and finishes for a more relaxed, collected look. This can work well, but it needs more planning to avoid looking messy.

For an easy gallery wall, black frames or natural wood frames are good choices because they work with lots of different artwork.

Large art prints and statement frames

Large art prints need careful framing because the frame becomes more noticeable on the wall.

For A2 prints and larger, a thin frame can create a clean modern finish, while a wider frame can make the piece feel more substantial.

Think about where the print will hang. A large art print often works well:

• Above a sofa
• Above a bed
• Over a fireplace
• In a hallway
• Above a sideboard
• In a home office
• As a dining room feature

Before ordering, measure the wall space and make sure there is enough room around the frame.

Small art prints and mounted frames

Small art prints can look very effective when placed in a larger frame with a mount. This gives the print more presence and makes it feel more like a finished artwork.

For example, an A4 print can be placed in an A3 frame with a mount, or a small square print can be placed in a larger square frame with a wide border.

This approach is especially useful for:

• Illustrations
• Limited edition prints
• Small photography prints
• Line drawings
• Sentimental artwork
• Artist prints

Made-to-measure frames for art prints

Many art prints are not standard sizes. Some include borders, signatures, edition numbers or unusual proportions. In these cases, a made-to-measure frame can give the best result.

Made-to-measure framing is useful when:

• The print is an unusual size
• The print is signed or limited edition
• You want a specific mount border
• You need a frame to fit a particular wall space
• You want the print to look professionally finished
• You do not want to trim or alter the artwork

A custom frame means the print can be framed properly without cropping, folding or forcing it into the wrong size.

Protecting signed and limited edition art prints

If your art print is signed, numbered or limited edition, take extra care when framing it.

Avoid using tape, glue or anything that could permanently mark the paper. It is also important not to trim the print to make it fit a standard frame, especially if the signature or edition number is near the edge.

A mount can help show the signature while giving the print space inside the frame. For valuable or sentimental prints, it is worth asking for advice before framing.

Common mistakes when framing art prints

One common mistake is choosing a frame before measuring the print properly. Even a few millimetres can affect the fit.

Another mistake is choosing a frame that competes with the artwork. A frame should support the print, not distract from it.

It is also easy to forget about the mount. If you want a mount, the frame size needs to be larger than the print size.

Other mistakes include:

• Using a frame that is too small
• Choosing a mount that covers important details
• Picking a frame colour that clashes with the artwork
• Hanging a small print on a large empty wall
• Using a very heavy frame for delicate artwork
• Trimming the print to fit a standard frame

Best picture frames for art prints: final advice

The best picture frame for an art print depends on the style, size and importance of the print.

As a simple guide:

• Choose black frames for modern, graphic and monochrome prints
• Choose white frames for bright, minimal and colourful prints
• Choose wood frames for natural, warm and botanical prints
• Choose gold frames for decorative, vintage or traditional prints
• Choose frames with mounts for a gallery-style finish
• Choose made-to-measure frames for unusual sizes or special prints

A well-chosen frame should make the print look finished, protect it properly and help it suit the space where it will be displayed.

Need help choosing a frame for an art print?

If you are looking for the best picture frame for an art print, Boldon Framing can help you choose the right size, colour, mount and finish.

Whether you need a standard frame, a frame with a mount, or a made-to-measure picture frame for a signed or limited edition print, we can help you create a finished piece that is ready to hang and enjoy.