Customizing the custom frame: framers share tips of the trade

"Some frames come in very limited colors, and some frame colors do not keep up with trends in art," Crocker pointed out. "In those cases, we'll paint over a frame and pull the wash off to reveal the gold and the hint of color, depending on the piece. You can also apply pure pigment that is used to make the paint. When you put a wash of color on a raw wood frame, it can make a dressy fit."

Perfecting Profiles

Nelson Petrovich, owner of Nelson Fine Art Framing in Laguna Beach, Calif., often constructs his own profiles. "I am a regular picture framer with an artistic nature," said Petrovich. "I like to come up with my own profiles, and I can cut my own wood and shape it to a painting." Petrovich also makes frames out of lead, steel, iron or bole finishes. "My bent is that I have good judgment and design capabilities, and people bring their artwork to me," he said.

His framing prices range from $300 to thousands of dollars, he noted. "I am fortunate to be located in an affluent marketplace. My clients are multi-millionaires, and museums of art recommend me. I have the ability to come up with different profiles and to nonce where me light captures the gilding. I have built tabernacle frames that are church size, which took about three or four people a month to make, working eight hours a day."

Imported Items

Boris Bezroukov, owner of Boris Artistry in Framing in Beverly Hills, Calif., reported that he has a reputation for offering avant-garde framing. "We like to do unusual combinations," he said. "I will buy bamboo from a lumberyard and make a frame for a jungle print. We will use a white gold leafing inside and a burlap or silk mat-board. Once this is put together, all you need are the giraffes."

The business also offers hand-carved frames and parchment frames that are imported from Colombia. "The parchment frames are unique in that they have a resemblance to leather. They come in red, orange and yellow, and we take a color and match it. For instance, we use these frames for black-and-white photos and will incorporate an ivory frame laid over with white gold."

The firm also hand makes and matches wood frames. "We use Malacca, a wood that has a lot of grain, which was very popular in furniture during the 1930s to 50s. The wood has long strips of dark wood, then lighter shades. We make frames from that and tint the lighter part in red. The response we get to this is off the charts."

Cashing In?

Although many framers enjoy the creative elements of customizing their custom framing projects, they also admitted the pay off is not always spectacular.

"Frame shops can charge more for a gilding project, but everything is relative. Time and materials are factors," noted Alan P. Shuptrine of Gold Leaf Designs and Gallery in Chattanooga, Tenn. "I cannot say if you profit more than when you cut and put together stock moulding, because you are targeting a smaller market and the amount of labor involved is not comparable," continued Shuptrine, an expert on gold leafing and related decorative finishes. "Because of the expense of gilding, it is usually reserved for original works of art. Yet, we have done gilded handmade frames for people who value their stamp collections or diplomas or maps. Anything that is cherished by an individual must be treated like a priceless diamond or gemstone that is enhanced by a setting."