The Framers Forum

I came across this on LJ's USA website....and was somewhat surprised!
Advice to Joe Public....

Before you visit your framer, gather a few things at home. Bring 2-3 photos showing different views of the room where the new framing will hang. This will show your framer your color scheme, decorating style, scale of furnishings. If possible, bring paint chips and upholstery swatches to show “true” colors.

Finally, be prepared to give an approximate measurement of the room, including ceiling height and specifically the size of the wall space where the frame will hang

Does this really happen in the real world? Ceiling height, paint chips, upholstery swatches ????
I always thought you framed the picture to suit the image. Am I so wrong?
Now it appears LJ are suggesting you frame it to blend in/compliment the room decor.

Would be interested to hear the views and opinions of you expert framers.

I had a customer come in with a series of 'mood boards'. These were approx 24" x 30" thick mountboard with photos, fabric swatches and paint samples, along with seaside, lighthouse and driftwood photos and samples. They looked really good, and I got all enthusiastic about how we could frame them, and measuring them up. The customer stopped me, and explained that she actually wanted to find a poster, and frame it to match the room that the mood boards were for. I found the whole thing a bit depressing because she chose a picture she did not especially like, but just because the colours were right.

Still, I did the job, and took the money! Good job we're not all the same.

One of the things I always ask a customer is what setting they have for presenting the frame, in other words what is the room/area like.

And yes I have had customers bring me in photos of what there room/home looks like.

That said I don’t allow for the main part the general surrounding area influence what would be a correct frame for a particular item or at least what I think is right.

Also do keep in mind that LJ have sister companies from the Berkshire Hathaway group that are involved in the home decoration business so the overall message they convey would be influence by that.

In fact Berkshire Hathaway sees framing as a commodity within the home decoration area and not a standalone area on its own.

Have a look at some of the BH businesses http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/subs/sublinks.html

Frequently, and I normally give the same advice - Frame the picture, not the room. As with most advice its often ignored and we have to go over what mounts will work with the curtains/wallpaper/floor etc.
These customers are often the ones that come back saying the picture doesn't work. In fairness I have no problem with customers taking time to get the framing right - I just hate it when they fail to see that you cant just take the bright pink from the curtains and use it as a colour for the mount on a landscape.

In the end its our job to keep the customer happy - I plan to be their framer for a long time and hope that I can establish a position of trust when advising them. I will normally give them samples of the mouldings - mount colours etc that I think will work and let them decide at home.

The thing that really drives me mad is when customers take samples outside to check the colour. If I am in a slightly cynical mood I will ask them if they are planning on hanging the picture in the garden. The fact that I have bright well balanced lighting over my design space seems to pass them by.

I had a customer in a few weeks back who returned the following day with her "Interior Designer" who took control of the situation and we reframed five prints to match the new decor.

The designer requested a "trade discount" which I declined (I had spotted the Mercedes outside).

I had a customer come in with some photos and certificates he wanted framed in a very particular way, he even provided full technical drawings regarding where the mount window / slip wood go and he even brought the slip, mountboard and moulding in as well ??? Had I followed his technical drawing it would have been wrong but I didn't tell him that. As it turned out he was delighted with my handy work and he turns out to be a thoroughly nice chap and has come back to me again and again, I think because he knows I'm very particular about the quality of my work as well. And being a bit of a techie he's also been able to give me some pointers on my new website as well, which was nice.

Bagpuss

I’ve never had anyone show photos of the room, but I have had tons of people bring in slip covers, pillows, drapes, wallpaper and paint chips to try to “coordinate” the feng shui (whatever, dude!) of the room.

I actually had someone bring in an end table so that I could try to match the stain for her moulding. She was a little embarrassed when I suggested that next time she could just remove the drawer rather than lug the whole table in.

OK then - so, your curtains are pink with brass rods, your carpet is blue, your units are mahogany with brass handles.

Fabulous - so let's have a pink/blue double mount and mahogany frame with a gold sight edge - around your ROTHKO POSTER

Apprecaite above comments

If any further replies would be interesting to read how you would suggest altering the wording of what was on the LJ ( Larson Juhl aka Aqardia in UK ) website aimed at the USA public.
Will repeat it here to save you scrolling up...

Before you visit your framer, gather a few things at home. Bring 2-3 photos showing different views of the room where the new framing will hang. This will show your framer your color scheme, decorating style, scale of furnishings. If possible, bring paint chips and upholstery swatches to show “true” colors.

Finally, be prepared to give an approximate measurement of the room, including ceiling height and specifically the size of the wall space where the frame will hang

How about....

"Bought a picture that will look good in your room? - Well - then anything you choose to suit IT will also look good in your room - if not then maybe the picture is wrong"

That's slightly tongue in cheek of course - wouldn't want to talk yourself out of a sale; compromises can be made like echoing something in the room, but subtly - like the inner of a double/triple mount.

surely interior designers are supposed to re-design the room around the wonderful picture we have created for the customer.

I did have one customer who provided a photograph of the room and requested a frame stained to blend with the oak beams.

I've had many a swatch brought in and "the wall is a sort of pastel pink" de deh de deh de dah. I always thought the art was the most important piece too. Customers eh!!!

Here's one from this week chosen to match decor - not sure if I like it or not.

The laquered white frame is a Nielsen exclusive and not cheap at all - and neither are artcare bevelled accents, so I'm not complaining!