Framing

Types of

Custom Picture Frames

 

By April Hann Lanford

Types of Custom Picture Frames

By April Hann Lanford

Our expert hands make a variety of custom picture frames including natural wood gallery frames, lacquer picture frames, and gilded frames.

Let our staff lend their expertise to your custom framing needs by suggesting the picture frame options that best fit your project.

Wood Gallery and Collection Frames

Our wood gallery frames are made using locally milled maple, ash, and walnut. Other wood species care is available upon request.  We carry a variety of these classic profiles that can be further modified. These hardwood profiles can be left in their natural state and finished with a clear lacquer or wax, or custom stain.

Custom stained frames custom finished hardwood frames walnut picture frames

Lacquered Picture Frames

Whether satin or gloss white, piano black lacquer, soft gray, or even a vibrant color, since our frames are custom-made by hand, we can customize a finish for your piece.  The finish is applied after the frame moulding is joined, the miter at the corner is covered by the finish which results in seamless corners.  These custom lacquered frames are made using our wood gallery frame molding.  Additional profiles can be custom milled.

UV filtering glass, custom framing Wood Frames Stem Frames Gallery frames Custom Milled frames Custom Lacquer frames Clear coated custom frames Walnut frames Paduak frames Mahogany custom frames Milled Cherry custom frames Maple frames Bird’s eye maple frames Flat profile frames Expert fine art framing Archival picture framing Custom picture framing chicago Archival matting Museum framing services White lacquer frames Mid-century frames Kulicke frames Modern closed corner frames Custom milled wood frames

Silver Leaf and Gilded frames

Silver leaf, 22k yellow gold leaf, or 12k white gold leaf and other karats in between, we can create elegant custom gold museum frames using traditional leafing methods. Our gilders carefully apply various colorations of real gold leaf or metal leaf foil to our milled gallery profiles as well as to hand-carved wood frames, or plaster and compo ornamentation.

22k 23 karat real gold frames

Hand Carved-Ornamental Frames

Ornate and even minimal designs, we carve one-of-a-kind frames for fine art, portraits, and mirrors. Antique frame designs can be recreated and missing ornamentation on historic frames can be recreated and restored.

These frames can be custom gilded, stained, or finished in a custom lacquer color. The finishes can then be further customized and aged with toning and degrees of distress.

UV filtering glass, custom framing Gold frames Real gold frames Expert fine art framing Archival picture framing Custom picture framing chicago Archival matting Museum framing services Hand Carved Frames 22k gold leaf finish White gold frame finish Custom Lacquer frames Ornate Gold Leaf Frames Real gold ornate frame Ornate Carved 22k frames Barbizon frame Antique frame repair French Antique painting frames Louis 15th frames Louis 16th Frames Louis 14th Frames French gold Frames Impressionist painting frames Whistler reeded frames Gold leaf drawing frames

Welded Metal Frames

Due to their inherent strength, metal frames allow for narrower frame profiles for larger artwork. Custom frames can be fabricated in steel, stainless steel, bronze, brass, copper and aluminum. Whether highly polished, ground, patinated or left to remain raw; metal frames can be customized to achieve a sleek appearance, or an industrial aesthetic.

Welded metal steel frames

Plexi-boxes/Vitrines

Vitrines also referred to as Plexi boxes, plexiglass boxes, or acrylic cases, are a great framing alternative to protect and minimally present art objects and three-dimensional works. Museums and corporate collections with publicly displayed works often use vitrines to protect high-value artwork and antiques.  Rather than traditional shadowboxes, these clear boxes allow for visibility of the sides of a piece while it is on display.

 

plexiglass boxes and wall cases

Pre-Finished Length Custom Frames

In addition to our hand-crafted frames, we also carry several thousand custom picture frame mouldings in a variety of traditional, contemporary, and gilded finishes.  Whether black, white, color lacquer, gold, silver, etc, length moldings provide a cost-effective, yet a custom option for picture frames.

 

From antique black to bamboo, to art deco, rainbow, antique and ultra modern frames

These are just a sampling of the custom frames that our studio can provide.  These can evolve into a custom round and oval frames, liners, float frames, leather frames.

Our team can work with you and your budget to design the right frame that works with your piece and budget. 

If you have questions or would like to see any of these options in person, please feel welcome to contact us at:

info@artifactservices.com

312-344-0331

Our collection of educational articles about

custom framing, collection care, and emergency response are updated regularly.

Click on each topic below for a menu of corresponding articles.

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Collection Care Articles

By April Hann Lanford

Our collection of educational articles provides an introduction to many topics about the preservation and conservation of fine art, antiques, and fine furniture.

Topics are often written as a result of questions provided by our clients. 

Framing-Article

Framing Articles

By April Hann Lanford

There is a lot that goes into the design and fabrication of an archival custom frame. Whether a minimal TIG welded aluminum frame, acrylic vitrine, or a custom carved wood, 22k gilded antique revival frame, each design can have a variety of approaches and materials.

EmergencyCare-Articles

Emergency Care Articles

By April Hann Lanford

Our emergency care articles are a helpful introduction to how to prevent damage through preventative measures or art and antique collections.  When a disaster strikes, prompt response and taking the right steps can mitigate further damage.  

Antique-trader-article

Antique Trader Articles

By April Hann Lanford

Visit our collection of articles that have been published in Antique Trader.

antiquetrader

For more than 60 years Antique Trader has been inspiring, informing, and entertaining the collecting community with timely...

A division of Artmill Group Hand carved picture frames Custom picture framing Museum quality services Insurance claims support April Hann Lanford Appraisal Valuation Onsite repair Specialty contents Storm recovery and rescue Provenance care Water restoration art, antiques, furniture Art recovery Painting repair Paper conservation Furniture restoration Fine art doctor repair shop in chicago Gold leaf frames Finished corner Seamless by design Regency Fine art conservation Seaberg Armand Lee Gilding Museum framing Art collection support Frederics Baker Husar

Projects

By April Hann Lanford

A selection of Artifact’s most recent projects highlighting our conservation and preservation work. We present each unique story describing the conservation process from reviewing the history, cause of loss, and condition to the steps of the treatment.

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Glossary

A collection of art and conservation terms along with makers and firms compiled into a glossary and highlighted throughout our website for reference.

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Main Location

840 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago IL 60642

Mon-Fri:  9am - 5:30pm
Sat:  10am-4pm
Sun:  Closed

Complimentary parking is available in the loading zone in front of the building

We can also serve you by appointment at our other locations in the Chicagoland area.

Additional Locations

Schiller Park Highland Park  •  Lake Forest  •  Lincoln Park  Nashville, TN

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