The Case for White Frames for Color Photographs

Written by Mark Rogers

In some parts of the country, a new trend has emerged in framing photographs that has turned its back on traditional framing.

Traditional gallery-style picture framing typically consists of a simple black picture frame with a clean, white mat. The goal of this style is to keep the frame and mat board from detracting from the photograph itself.

This framing style also helps provide a sense of consistency among gallery exhibitions, which makes it easier to maintain a theme; this way, gallery attendees aren’t drawn to the frame, but the photos.

A New Framing Fad With White

However, an interesting new trend is to use white picture frames with a white mat board for brightly colored pictures. The goal behind this framing style is to make the image pop — a pure white background around color makes it truly stand out.

White, however versatile, is not considered to be a good idea for framing black and white photographs, nor would it work well with soft pastels images.

It could even be argued that white photo frames are even better for gallery-style framing, since white picture frames with white mat boards should, in theory, detract even less from images than black frames.

Frame Destination has added bright white as a color option for many of our frames, including metal and wood. The Nielsen Profile 117 picture frame is one of our most popular styles — it has the robustness and cost-effectiveness of metal, but with the look of a simple elegant wood profile.

If you are looking for a white gallery-style frame with a little more "heft" than the 117, check out  metal frame profile 95 which is wider and taller.

Those that want to stick with a white wood picture frame can select a number of styles, including wood frame profile 502, ideal for smaller prints, which comes in opaque white and white wash. Wood frame profile 810 comes in opaque white and is a tall, wide frame that is ideal for prints or wood panels.

If you are looking for texture, look no further than the big and bold wood frame profile 513 which features a painted finish that shows the wood grain. It is deep enough for standard 3/4 canvases.