Open Monday thru Saturday 10:00 to 5:00.Reach us at 616-395-3025. 16 W. 8th St., Holland, Michigan, USA. Please check if we are open when there is inclement weather. WELCOME NEW ARTIST, DIANE VAN NOORD!

Framing - Creative Solutions

Create a Coastal Wall Grouping

The Challenge:

Create a stand out grouping with a fresh, beach house feel showcasing three 5 x 7 original landscape oils by Cindy Awrey.

The Solution:  

Homes along Lake Michigan’s coast often favor watery shades of blues and neutrals, mirroring their water and sand environment.  For these three pieces we turned to our newest line of custom, made in the U.S.A., frame moulding that can be finished in ANY Benjamin Moore hue.  We choose three shades of blue that work with both the paintings and fabric and paint choices that our customers have been bringing in as project color references.  Using subtle or complementary variations in frame colors is a great way to add pizzazz when grouping art pieces. 

Next, instead of just framing these oil paintings which don’t require glazing to protect them, we opted to expand the size of each piece by adding double matting.  The top mat is a natural, textured, woven linen.  It has been floated above the art by raising it with hidden spacers.  We also float mounted the 5 x 7 art on a deep loam mat to show off the art edges.  Conservation glass was used for the glazing

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The result is a dramatic shadow box effect that draws the viewer’s eye right into the art.  The subtle variation in the shades of blue used for the frames adds interest when the pieces are displayed.  There are so many options for how this grouping can be arranged on a wall.  They can add the final ta-da to any room or hall in a home or office.

          

 

Customizing Your Colors

The Challenge: 

For 90 years Holland, Michigan has held a Tulip Festival.  It has become a BIG event which is marketed across the U.S.  One fine art piece is chosen each year to represent the festival.  This year's piece is by Carolyn Stich.  Lake Effect Gallery was asked to frame the first giclee to be presented at the award dinner.  We wanted to show off our custom coloring capabilities and creativity on this piece for a bright, look at me final piece.  So what did we do?

The Solution: 

The art work is fun, bright and graphic.  We took our cues from this.  We chose a Benjamin Moore paint color - Pool Blue -  to have an outside cap frame finished in.  We installed a color washed second frame in a sunny orange shade for an inside frame and joined these together for two cheery bands of color.  Next we used a simple white mat in an extra thick 8-ply option.  This produces a wide bevel inside edge when cut. Next we mixed up several shades of orange and yellow acrylic paint and applied a careful line of the blended color on the thick bevel. When the mat was dry, three layers of acid free foam core were added to the back to raise the mat above the art.  This creates a dimensional, set back look and a shadow line.  The piece was glazed with conservation clear tru vue glass.  (We'd prefer the 'museum glass' which provides both uv protection and great reflection reduction, but for resale the cost would have taken it above our target price point.)  

Here is the final painting and a close up of a corner to show the details.  It was a big hit!

Customized Art and a Vintage Cottage Look

Our client had purchased an original piece depicting tall red glads in the garden.  The art was floated on Antique White and framed in this Creme, rubbed chalk finished frame. She loved the piece, but wanted to hang it over a headboard in a guest bed room.  Problem: The single piece of art was too small for the space.

Solution:  Lake Effect custom created 2 pieces to go with this work by cropping colorful windows of a Venice Flower Market scene painted by Melissa Ramirez.  The art and framing were sized to work in a grouping of 3 pieces.  

Digitally cropping portions of a painting and creating a new piece is a possibility that expands a clients options to meet unusual, specific requests.



Heirloom Rug

Our client had three squares cut from her Grandmother's rug.  Each was a different design and slightly different proportions.  We design the three pieces to be hung stacked vertically.  Three deep, faux leather frames were used which picked up the terracotta hues found in the rugs.  The rugs were stretched over thick batting to give them dimension.