Swank Dining

Original abstract oil painting by Cala framed in pewter moulding tailored to complement the elegant contemporary dining room server below it.

Landscape paintings are windows to wonderful views

Below is a closeup of the Munoz painting installed above this fireplace. This 18x36" oil on canvas was a perfect fit for this tight space.

Sometimes a beautiful scenic landscape can make you feel like you are on vacation. This is a great example of that.

Wait a minute! That's not a landscape!
Actually, the oil painting above by Luzanquis is a combined still life in the foreground with a landscape in the background. I like to call paintings like these "twofers" or two-for-the-price-of-one paintings.

This is a nifty set of two oil paintings by Pozo. These two leather couches and the paintings face each other in a seating area.

Some Recent Art & Framing

Above: A superb, cubism-inspired contemporary still life with a triple stack frame. That dark middle moulding helps to make the darker areas of the painting pop. Metallic-finish frames like the gold one above are extremely popular framing choices. Why? Because like a piece of gold or silver jewelry, they look great layered over any other color. The metallic finish will slightly reflect ambient colors as well help the art and framing blend with the rest of the room. 

Above: A beautiful white frame for a still life by Tejada.

Above: A western-style frame for an oriental subject.

Above: A painting of a biplane for the office of a lady aviator.

A BIG thanks to Matt at Masterpiece Framing for taking these pictures and editing them.

Thanhardt-Burger: Deluxe Hand-Crafted Frames Made in the U.S.A.

Another of ArtFinders’ favorite framing partners is Thanhardt-Burger. Thanhardt-Burger is one of the few framers that still builds, carves, and embellishes historically accurate American and European frame styles using centuries-old, traditional techniques. Each frame is itself a work of art.

Thanhardt-Burger frames are perfect for heirlooms, fine paintings, photographic or painted portraits, fine prints, and stately decorative custom mirrors.

Unlike length moldings, these frames are crafted to minimize any seams at the corners. Many times the corners are embellished and ornamented to disguise any seam. Some of the unfinished ornamental detail castings can be seen in the photo below:

Once the frame and ornament is complete the frame is then hand finished with an under coat of color (rub), metallic leafing, and then the frame undergoes treatment with various patinas and treatments to achieve the desired surface finish.

Since each frame is hand-crafted from scratch it can take up to 8 weeks to complete this labor intensive process.

You can see Thanhardt-Burger frames for yourself on several paintings at Walter E. Smithe’s Oak Brook furniture store or you can call ArtFinders to make an appointment to see some samples in your home or office.

Below is a series of paintings featuring Thanhardt-Burger frames:

Above and below are two paintings by Albert with very ornate frames with lots of detail.

 

Above: An ornate frame for a painting by Chapaud. 

Above: This Raffandre painting has a more classical and simple frame with only subtle acanthus leaf motif at the corners.

Above: “Garden Steps” by Young features a frame with a nice balance between simplicity and ornamentation.

Above: Another frame with minimal ornament.

 

Above: White gold patina perfect for French-inspired interiors.

Above and below: Hand-crafted frames featuring clean lines perfect for contemporary styles.

Another Masterpiece…

…courtesy of Masterpiece Framing. Wow. The frame has just been completed on this gracious wine painting by Luzanquis. It looks stunning.

Here is a close-up shot of the quadruple stack frame that does such a great job of enhancing the painting:

The piece was framed using only the best, Larson-Juhl frames. Masterpiece Framing is an exclusive dealer of Larson-Juhl frames.

Portfolio: Private Residence

"English Garden" by Pena

"Mediterranean Bayside Garden" by Andre Jouan

"Vineyard" by Covian

Room view of "Hillside Village" by Harvey

"Hillside Village" by Harvey

Custom Mirrors

If you cannot find just the right mirror to match your furniture, consider a custom mirror. ArtFinders has designed hundreds of mirrors over the years to complement furniture. After consulting with you about the style of your home,  furniture, size needed and intended placement, we provide several options and price points from which to choose.

Once your mirror has been completed we also expertly install it.

DESIGN TIP: If you are thinking about adding a mirror to a wall--make sure that it will be reflecting an attractive view. You don't want to be reflecting the view into say, a cluttered home office or up into the blank walls of a cathedral ceiling. Consider a piece of art for these areas instead.

The frames used for custom mirrors need to be stronger than the frames used for artwork. Mirrors are very heavy--so a flimsy molding will not support the glass.

The very heavy mirror above was made using a stack of three moldings. It was designed to complement the chest beneath it with an eye toward solid construction. Finally, it was expertly installed using anchors.

Portfolio: Custom Frame Designs

Above: Three-part stacked frame design.

Middle picture: Another three-part stacked frame with the central molding pulling color out from the painting to enhance the art/frame as a whole design.

Bottom: This Fairchild floral has a five-part frame with three mouldings and two layers of fillets. All of these frames were expertly crafted with archival materials by Masterpiece Framing.