Family Room – One Room Challenge Week 7: How to custom frame your artwork

If you are new to my blog, welcome! I’m Sanda Stojakovic and I’m the author of My Design Playbook. A year ago my husband and I bought a 1970 Colonial house that needed many updates but we were so excited about this purchase that we knew we could turn this house into our home. Ever since we started on this journey to modernize our house I realized that we really enjoy this type of work and it quickly turned into something we love doing together. Follow along as we renovate our family room over the next few weeks for the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge and mark your calendar for the final reveal which now has been extended to July 5th!

Fall 2019 ORC can be found here.

If you missed previous weeks they can be found here: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, 5 and 6.

I don’t understand how throughout the last 6 weeks of the One Room Challenge I felt like I was ahead and making progress and now that we are down to the wire I feel like I have a bunch of stuff left to do. I think it’s because I always agonize about the last details which take up a huge chunk of my time. Right now I’m agonizing about how many art pieces I should add to this big wall.

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I’m thinking about placing two bigger paintings over the trim work like this but I’m still looking for art that will go well. I’m using painters tape to visualize how much space my large ornate frames would take up. My other option is creating a gallery but I’m really trying to avoid having to look for more frame and art in the last week of the One Room Challenge.

While I have spend a lot of time thinking about the design details that will go into this room I did also learn something new. Ever since I learned how to use a miter saw and cut my own trim I gained more confidence in my ability to do other things on my own that many people pay for in services. This week I learned how to do my own art framing. Here are three steps to framing large art pieces.

How to Framing Artwork the Easy Way

Step 1: Clean the frame, this is especially important if you are you using a frame that is not new. I got my ornate antique frame from facebook marketplace. It was a great find but the glass was pretty dusty and needed a good wipe on both sides. Ensuring that your frame is clean is important because that will preserve your artwork and you really don’t want to spend all the time frame your art piece only to learn at the end that the glass frame is not clean and end up having to re-do everything.

Taking the backboard from this frame was very simple as all the tacks were very loose. I did not even have to use any tools for that but if you have a frame that is taped in the back and secured with staples or tacks you will need pliers to them out. I have done this for other frames and it can take a bit of time to do. In the best case scenario, if your frame has tacks you can reuse them by bending them back to towards the backboard to secure the backboard in place. If your frame has staples you will need put them out in order to remove the backboard.

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To clean the glass on the frame I simply used Windex glass cleaner. If your frame is missing the glass, don’t fret. Most hardware stores like Home Depot and Ace Hardware sell glass frame for really cheap and some of them will even cut the glass for your if needed. I have bought glass frames from Home Depot and they worked out really well.

Step 2: As I mentioned, the tacks on this frame were very old and loose so I pulled them all out and use my picture framing tool to insert new ones.

Using picture framing tool is very simple. Below is a quick video or me using it with one hand while holding my phone in my other hand. I think it would have been even smoother if I didn’t have to hold my phone but you get the point. There are much more expensive versions of this picture framing tool but I think this is perfect for someone who frame their art occasionally.

Step 3: Insert art and secure the back with the backboard and the newly added tacks.

I used brown self-adhesive backing tape to secure the back. This is recommended to prevent dust from entering the area behind the backboard and potentially the art piece. This tape is great because it does not damage the frame backboard and can be easily removed if needed.

Here is the result of my framed art piece.

As you may have noticed, this framing process did not involve using mattes. If your framing project requires mattes, these cam be purchased in a bundle. You may also need double sides tape for securing your art print to the matte. My frame also already had all the hardware needed to secure it to the wall but if yours is missing the wire or picture hangers those can be installed by screwing in the picture hangers and attaching the wire. For hanging your artwork I found these picture hanging nails to work for the best. You can get them in a variety of size which basically tells you how much weight it can hold up. I use these even for hanging my heavy mirrors.

That’s it! Easy peasy, 1,2,3 and viola you don’t need to pay someone to frame your artwork anymore. Now deciding on artwork is a whole different story and one I’m still trying to figure out this week.

For the remainder of this week, I have hang window treatments, wall sconces, art, and find some coffee table decor. I’m hoping my rug will come in sooner so that I can start taking pictures.

Thanks for following along and be sure to stop by next week for the final reveal!! Everyone will be posting their final reveals starting June 25 through July 5th so be sure to check out other One Room Challenge designers here.