I often wish I were a writer.

Dealings with clients in our showroom, you come across some great characters, great stories, and occasionally a very touching tale.

Last month a man came in to frame a photo of his dog. The dog had died a year earlier and the man wanted our best frame and an oval mount for his prized companion for many years.

The man subsequently went into hospital for a small operation on his knee and the day after hobbled down to us to collect the framed picture.

He was so pleased, as if he were being reunited with his best friend.

Moments like this do put life into perspective.

It’s easy to moan and groan, but life should be more than that.

It was nice to feel that we at Marcus Framing played a small part in making somebody happy.

Spring is in the air, and it’s time to re-decorate.

At this time of year we’re inclined to look at our walls, floors, curtains, and furniture, with an eye to refreshing and redesigning. But don’t forget your pictures! Are they dated? Could you change the mount to suit your new colour-scheme? Change the frame to co-ordinate with different trends and your new decoration.

It’s amazing what re-framing an original or a print can do for the piece. We recently re-framed an original oil on canvas and instead of a frame to the image, we put it into a boxed tray frame. What a difference it made! The work is now far more attractive than before and the new frame has actually added financial value to the piece.

You could also look at changing the mount, which is the coloured board surrounding the image. It may have faded, in which case a fresh colour would enhance the print, and at very little cost.

A window cut to highlight dates is also worth considering. The photo you framed 20 years ago may have seemed like something you’d never forget, but as time passes, and memories fade, adding a window cut to the frame, captioning and dating it, helps preserve the when and where in your memory. This is especially true if it’s a historical piece.

So take a look at what’s on your walls and thing of how a new frame could improve those pieces.  No matter what you’re thinking of, our skilled team of framers can create something to meet and exceed your expectations.

See you soon!

That’s why I tell clients that the first step towards successful framing is starting with a piece of art that you truly love, and really want to show off with an elegant frame.

It’s an honour for us to frame whatever work you give us, but we’re particularly enthusiastic when you are too!

So what do people tend to ‘love’ to get framed?

Anything personal, be it a photo or memento, always gets a great reaction. Sports jerseys are also a sure-time favourite and they create a great impact when they are framed. Not to forget, of course, the unusual. The snakeskin found on the side of a road becomes something completely different when framed – a piece of art, a story, a memory.

So my first tip in this our first post to the new Marcus Framing online framing blog: love what you frame, and you’ll love the results!

Until next time,

Claire Rosehill

Manager, Marcus Framing.

claire [at] marcusframing.com.