Get Creative: Designs to Inspire

August is the best month to jump into some creative framing projects! Not just because all those treasures you collected on your travels need a beautiful place to live, but also because Broadway Gallery is having our annual framing sale! Here are some of our teams most creative designs to inspire your next project:

Unique Mats:

Rectangular mats are classic and timeless but sometimes the shape of a piece is calling for a more interesting mat creation. Our designers were able to replicate the outlines on each of these textile pieces and cut custom mats to match. Each of these mats also feature one of my favorite design elements: colored bevels. Some mats, like the white and blue on the cupcake, have colorful cores and the color is revealed when cut at an angle. Others, like the gold and navy, are hand painted onto the cut bevel. This allows us to mix the perfect color to highlight  the art inside. 

Stacked Frames:

Another fun way to add a creative design element to your frames is to stack them! By adding a second (or even a third!) frame you open up a world of endless combinations. Stacking frames can elevate a design by adding depth, complementing colors, and new, interesting textures. 

We loved the texture on the outer frame for this cityscape, but it was getting swallowed by the large mat. To add some oomph we stacked it on top of a similarly colored, ridged frame. Now the straight lines of the buildings are echoed in the linear elements of the inner frame and the expressive botanicals play off the strong texture on the outside. 

Stacking frames of differing sizes also allows for a larger presence on the wall. The bar scene on canvas needed to fill a bigger wall than it could handle on its own. We needed to add some width to the piece but didn’t want to sacrifice the ultra-modern white look by introducing a fabric liner. We decided to place a wide white lacquered frame inside a matching, more slender frame to keep that brilliant white shine all over while keeping the size impactful. 

French Mat Lines:

French mat lines lend a more traditional feel to an artwork. Rather than adding visual interest by building depth, a French mat uses lines of varying widths and distances to draw the eye. Each line is drawn by hand and, like in the case of this botanical, can be used in combination with marble paper. These decorative papers come in many colors, from soft and muted to bold and vibrant and would add a lovely touch to a variety of pieces. 

Shadowboxes:

If you’re looking for unlimited creative possibilities, look no further than a shadowbox. By mixing multiple elements including photographs, 3-Dimensional items, mats, frames, and textiles our designers can create a truly one of a kind piece. Take for example the shadowbox commemorating our 35th anniversary as a company. Along with individually framed photos of the premises and the founder with her family are the remains of their party. Each piece’s placement is thought out and secured to create a moment of celebration that has been captured in time. 

My personal favorite shadowbox in the gallery is the custom built stage created for world famous band, The California Raisins. This exercise in pure creativity resulted in a fabric wrapped mat with hand built curtains, a mirrored backdrop, and even working stage lights. This piece goes to show that if you can dream it we can make it a reality. 

To take advantage of our annual sale and put your own creative spin on any of these design ideas, drop by our galleries this August! Mention this post to any of our designers to receive 20% off your custom framing order.