I Stand Behind: Allen Jeffries Framing

I'm a framer or to better put it, I'm an individual who appreciates what a frame can do for a common print or poster, which is in my opinion, transforming. For example, The Velvet Underground & Nico yellow banana by Andy Warhol is a poster I purchased at Amoeba Music for under $20. A common $20 print is currently the important piece of artwork that hangs between my living room, entryway and family room, this being the case I had to get it framed nicely- presentation is everything. Presentation can turn a $20 poster into a notable center piece!

After searching and researching frame shops in Los Angeles I decided to hit up Allen Jeffries Framing (in Los Angeles, located on 3rd street) after having been estimated an "over-my-budget" cost for custom framing at Aaron Brother's I decided that Allen Jeffries might at least be worth the stop. The store is small and the people who work there are amiable and know what they're talking about, this already put me at great ease. The back of the store is buzzing with professional framers measuring, cutting and of course, framing. The professionalism of it all was a little intimidating but that feeling went away as soon as I sat down with one of the employees to discuss my framing project, my print, my vision and eventually the price point I was trying obtain.

The help was quick to sugget a number of things from dry-mounting, to floating, to matting but was never pushy- a quality I always appreciate. And with the serious number of frames available the right cost was something very obtainable. While Aaron Brother's had quoted me a custom frame that was almost $200 I was able to get my print dry-mounted and framed for under $100! When I picked up my order a couple days later the frame was nicely wrapped up and not a scratch on it, it looked impeccable. For the price and the quality of service I couldn't have asked for more, Allen Jeffries definitely made a long standing customer out of me.

Want to frame? Check out Allen Jeffries

I Stand Behind: The Digital Picture Frame

Don't get me wrong, I love the look of framed photos on my walls, it's kind of like how my kindle can never really tear me away from buying actual books, there's something about actual books and actual framed photographs that is much more authentic than it's newer counterpart. But just because my heart lies with the old ways of things doesn't mean I can't appreciate the new... for example, the digital photo frame. My husband and I bought a digital photo frame a few years ago from Brookstone's, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it then, obviously my husband was the one who infinitely more excited about it than I was, but after many years, many moves and many memories caught on camera I can to realize.... I LOVE the digital photo frame. Not only does the digital photo frame save money and paper, but now I don't have to pick and choose amongst all the beautiful photos I wish to share with my guest, the digital photo frame simply scrolls.

Buying a digital photo frame doesn't mean you have to shun the old-way you love so much of framing pictures, simply see the digital photo frame as an added bonus... all those pictures you wished you could frame and put up but had no room for or couldn't fit into your budget, well, you no longer have to hide them away- it really is a good thing.

We have a much older frame so the quality (resolution) of the picture isn't as high as some of the more current frames being sold, but I still love the frame, I actually think the resolution although lower gives it a more vintage photo look (well, that's one way to look at it, at least).

Depending on which digital frame and capacity you opt for determines how many photos the digital frame can hold to display.

My husband and I bought a Philips digital photo frame from Brookstone's, unfortunately they are hard to find now as they are pretty old, but here are a few different places you can look should you be interested...

from Target

from Philips.com

from Best Buy

Pictures doing half the work

I am a picture person myself, and by pictures I don't mean putting family photographs up on the refrigerator, by pictures I mean framing, colors, astounding, eye-catching, something to accent the room in which the picture is placed, a picture to help set the area and the mood.

Being as penniless as I am I tend to buy pictures, painting or photographs that I really love and know will look great in my home, and being penniless as I am they tend to be frame-less, so then the next step I take is to frame them.  I found that the cheapest way of doing this is to buy everything yourself and do it yourself, honestly, it really isn't that hard, after framing two you'll be a pro.  In the past I spent close to $300 getting one picture professionally framed, just recently I found myself at Michael's during a frame sale and was able to buy a frame and a custom cut border mat all for $30.  And though some find it hard to believe that framing yourself will be enjoyable, surprisingly it is, being part of the project at such an in-depth level from start to finish and having such control of the project is enjoyable... well, I tend to think so anyways.

The final step and what I find to be the most important step, placement.  A lot of the time many people like to hang pictures at the center of the largest bare wall they have and though at times this is the perfect place for pictures it doesn't necessarily mean it's the right place for that particular piece.  But don't be disheartened, there is no right or wrong place to hang that black and white photograph, or colorful oil-painting, or print.... Simply, stand back and slowly take a look around, look at the spaces and how the piece would look there, or there?  How will it enhance the space?  How will a visitor come to pass to see this particular piece in this particular space?  At this time remember that when you are hanging your beautiful artwork it's not just about the artwork but about the entire space, the entire room- very similar to cooking I'd say, many ingredients are used to make one delicious dish!  

And though it may seem like a lot just to hang one picture, in the end it'll be well worth it.

*pictures from Elle Decor

The Velvet Underground... Now It Just Needs A Frame

A couple weeks ago I purchased 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' poster, the infamous banana by Andy Warhol.  Truthfully, I don't even like bananas, as a fruit I mean, the poster is something though.... Just a big yellow banana. 

Sadly, it sits rolled up near my faux fireplace.  I have yet to find a proper frame for it and though I would love to put it in a thick oak wood frame I'm fighting myself against this idea.  I have a Bjork poster and it too is in a thick oak wood frame, I suppose I'm a lover of this type of frame but imagining my apartment full of oak wood frames seems a little silly, doesn't it?  I figure I'd try to branch out into something different for this one, perhaps a black frame?  Or maybe silver would be best?

Just Frame It

Unless you are living in the dorms of a college campus you shouldn't be tacking up any kind of pictures (snap shots, posters or prints) on your walls.  Instead, hang it properly in a frame.  There are plenty of frames out there ranging from the expensive to the not-so-expensive, either works fine.  You'll be surprised at the difference of just framing a print or poster will make to the overall appearance of your living-room, bedroom, kitchen, hallway etc.

I have an obsession with buying $12 posters or even the huge $25 posters and framing them, I'm always astounded at the transformation.  My most recent project was a black and white Bjork poster, which I opted to frame in dark stained wood, I thought the black & white would be a great contrast with the dark brown wood, needless to say I was pleased.  

I bought the frame for $50 at Aaron Brother's and then framed it myself, it was quite simple with the help of my friend, and I saved quite a few dollars doing it myself.

In my opinion the dark wood or the black frames seems to be most popular as it always is a complimentary neutral contrast to most other colors, but this isn't to say you can't break some color theory rules and have fun with it.  The numerous times I've done this I opted for gold frames especially if the print has a lot of color in it (for example red, which always goes very nicely with gold).

I opted a gold frame for this print I bought during a visit to a museum, the gold frame was purchased at Aaron Brother's for $30.  The goal was to have the washed out colors of the print appear more striking against the gold frame.

Picture Wall

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Enhance your living space to make it feel the way you want by the careful placement of your picture frames.