So you wanted a room make-over.

You went to the expense of putting in new carpet or flooring, new furniture, painted the walls in that new trendy colour, but it is still not happenning. You have done everything. But, look a little closer. Your pictures are still stuck in the 70's trying their hardest to match that orange shag carpet you got rid of ten years ago. It is time for a picture make-over. I see it, time and again, the total lack of understanding your art and how it helps determine the sense of your space. It is the art on your walls that enhances your life, not the colour of your wall.

Find out what you like

and more importantly what you do not like. There is a possibility that the art you have just needs a new updated style and colour to bring it into the twenty first century. You will not need a second mortgage to buy new art. The art that you have may only need to be cosmetically changed with a fresh new colour mat, or a new liner and frame. It may not be time for a garage sale yet. The art on your walls may only need a better look.

When you decide to make a change to your art, travel to a reputable, professional picture framer, who will give you the information you require to make a knowledgeable choice for your art.

Is framing supposed to enhance your decor or the art?

It is always important to bring out the finer qualities of your art. But that being said, you have to be able to place your art in your home environment. It hangs in your house, not your framer's. The art has to be able to exist with your style of living, room decor and have a sense of your personality within the treatment of the piece. Do not be afraid to bring paint chips, pillows and fabric sample as these all assist the framer to establish your needs.

These paintings and frames were presented to me with liners and frames that were reminiscent of the seventies.

Oversized liners were too big for the paintings which made them more important than the frames.

The selected liners were smaller and had a sleek, more contemporary line. These give your eye a space to rest before entering the viewing space of the paintings.

The frame selected for these pieces has a dark red-gold, sculptured appearance and balances wonderfully over the heavy dark wood furniture, trim and flooring. The treatment of these paintings compliments the contrast between the dark woods of the decor and the white walls which bring the whole room together in a tighter, more contemporary look that still blends with the old world feeling of the room.

Saving An Antique

This framing project is an antique pencil/charcoal drawing done in Quebec in 1896 by Anna Miles. The drawing had been framed in 1915, in a style of framing which was common for that era.

The backing material was made of wood slats.

The mat on the front of the art was the quality of cardboard.

These materials create an extremely dangerous environment for paper. To protect against further damage, the drawing must be removed from its previous framing and be placed in an environment based on elements of conservation.

All of the materials around the drawing are non-acid bearing and of museum quality. The damage that has already been done to the piece cannot be changed but further deterioration can be halted.

The glazing (glass) is conservation glazing that will keep out 97% of ultra-violet rays. The museum quality mats that were selected for the drawing are subtle and help to bring out the brightness of the paper and the drawing without dominating it with more colour.

The colour of the mats also serves to downplay the large amount of damage that the acid burning has done to the paper, and works well with the graphic quality of the selected black frame. The frame is strong enough to bring the whole work together in a graphic manner, yet takes on a more elegant appearance with the soft detailing of the interior lip of the frame.

The result of the new framing is a sophisticated look which also maintains the integrity of the piece in an environment for future generations to enjoy.

• Before and After
• Don't Do This