How to Custom Frame Your Favorite Posters

Who’s guilty of taping a poster to their wall back in college? Hey, no judgment! But some things are best left in the past—like eating a package of ramen every night and having lackluster walls. You probably have a poster or two rolled up in a cardboard tube just waiting to be hung up, but step away from the tape! Instead, turn your favorite posters into unique art with the magic of custom framing. Read on for our top tips to give your posters a new life while giving your walls a new look!

First, think about the style of the poster and the space where you’re going to hang it. Is the artwork bold and colorful or more subdued with lots of neutral tones? Does the room feel traditional, modern, or eclectic? Keep these factors in mind when making your custom framing choices—you’ll want to go with options that both highlight your art and enhance your room’s decor.

Mats

Look at the colors in your poster. Is the palette mostly warm or cool hues? Next, pinpoint the undertones by noting which colors are the third or fourth most predominant.

Choose a neutral mat (white, ivory, grey, beige, or black) that balances the artwork and works with your poster’s warm or cool palette
For a bolder look, choose a color mat that highlights one of your poster’s undertones.
If your poster has lots of negative space around the main image, consider full-bleed framing which forgoes the mat for a more modern look

Frames

Many posters have a graphic style that works well with simpler frames—which also look good in lots of different types of spaces. Choose your frame material and color to further reflect your style.

Wood adds warmth and a natural element to your space; light options feel more boho, darker options feel more traditional
Metal has a modern look; gold feels luxe, gray has industrial vibes, and black is sleek
Black and white frames are classic options that will work with almost any space
Choose a color frame that highlights an undertone in your art; for an extra funky look, take a cue from the color wheel and choose a complementary color frame

Mounting

Choose between traditional mounting, in which the mat overlaps the edges of your artwork, or float mounting, in which your artwork is above the mat. Traditional mounting is fine for most posters, but choose float mounting for any of the following situations.

The artwork comes all the way to the edges of the paper
The edges have interesting characteristics you want to highlight
You want the poster to look more dramatic and really pop from the wall

Glazing

You can get regular acrylic & glass glazing or conservation acrylic & glass glazing. Consider how special your poster is and where you will be hanging it to determine which option is right for you.

Conservation glazing has the added benefit of ultraviolet protection—ultraviolet light, either from direct sunlight or fluorescent light, will cause your artwork to fade over time. Talk to your local framing expert.