You’ve got a beautiful painting or fine art print on stretched canvas and you’re ready to frame it. You’d like to purchase a ready made frame, maybe even off the Internet. Not sure where to start? These pointers will help start you in the right direction.

1-     Very rustic frames work with a variety of design styles that represent rustic, native or country peoples. For example, Southwest, Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, African, Country and Tropical décor.

2-     Frames with gold leaf will act like jewelry in a room. It’s rich, elegant and classy.

3-     Heavy dark frames look way too grown up in a young child’s room. Go with light or whitewashed tones and narrower frames. You can go darker in boys rooms, just don’t get too heavy.

4-     Thin black frames work well with photographs but look cheap when paired with canvas. Don’t do it. If you want the clean lines and sophistication of black, go with a wide plain frame, maybe even high lacquer.

5-     Unless you are intentionally going for a white tone on tone or white accents in a room, most canvas art will show better in a darker frame. White frames tend to look feminine and sometimes childlike.

6-     Frames that use two or more wood tones will work with a wide variety of furniture and design styles. Take your cue from the art itself. Pull your wood tones from the darks used in the painting. Dark walnut is almost universal and mixes equally well with black, cherry, mid tones and blonde woods.

7-     The wider and more intricate the frame is, the more substantial the art piece will look. A linen inset is akin to matting around a photograph. It is not necessary but will add drama and interest.

8-     Don’t use frames that compete or overpower the art itself. If you’re unsure, step it down a notch.

9-     Go frame-less altogether with a gallery or museum wrapped art piece. That is, canvas stretched over thick wooden bars and stapled to the back for a clean finished look. A colored edge gives the canvas art more substance. Unframed canvas with exposed side staples just looks cheap, so make sure its gallery wrapped if you go without a frame.

When you’re looking at art frames take into consideration both the painting and the environment in which you intend to hang it. Obviously you don’t want to put a painting in an ornate gold leaf frame if you’re going to display it in an Industrial design loft. But what if you don’t have a set design style to play up to? Not a problem. Choose wood tones that compliment your furniture, fabrics, hardwood floors or even non painted wood moldings in the room. Rich wood tones and clean lines are timeless and have universal appeal. If possible, try looking at your painting in many frames. Play with it. When you hear yourself say “Wow!” that’s probably the one!