6 Super Creative Ideas for Framing Your Home's Art That Take Your Walls From Basic to Brilliant

In designing an out-of-the-ordinary retail concept for Sophie Breitmeyer’s London flagship, interior designer Christian Bense curated art that feels like it belongs in a collector’s home. "Whilst the space is a retail environment, the cues we took to design the store were very much along the lines of residential design," he says. The art is suspended from gallery rails, a treatment that gives them an extra sense of dimension in the space. They make the art look incredibly expensive, but versions of this idea are even available from the likes of Amazon.

Pulling a rich indigo blue from 'Castle', an artwork by Polish contemporary artist Edward Dwurnik, interior design studio JT Grupa framed the canvas in a bold color block that brings a focal point to the space. "We thought that a touch of blue in the frame would further distinguish the artist's work and harmonize with the rest of the apartment's interior design," says designer Tomasz Ziółkowski.

"I think framing artwork is entirely context-dependent, but there is real power in treating the frame as an extension of the artwork itself," says fashion designer Thebe Magugu, who designed this suite for the South African Belmond hotel Mount Nelson. Framing illustrations by Lorenzo Plaaitjie, the embellishments are inspired by ‘African queens’ and Bantu knots, an indigenous hairstyle with cultural significance.

While framing often takes a backseat to the art itself, in this colorful apartment by Seattle-based designer Michelle Dirkse, a dark blue neoprene art piece from Henry Jock Walker has a frame with main-character energy. "By framing it in neon yellow, the finished work is both part of the monochromatic palette and a vibrant accent that ties into elements chosen for the rest of the home," Michelle explains.

In this New York apartment, the living room wall was perfect for both art and a TV, so designer Ronit Lee of Vellum Studio did both. "We had a niche recessed to accommodate the TV panel," Ronit explains. "We had strict size parameters to ensure coverage of the niche and sufficient space for the artwork when revealing the TV."

The art on this TV wall is by Marissa Purcell at Galerie Artempo, while Shelton Studios created and installed the beautiful bronze track and hardware.

In this atmospheric, color-washed lounge designed by Lisa Tharp, a bright white passepartout would stand out for all the wrong reasons. Instead, the designer opted for a soft tonal approach to the room’s artwork, a William Quigley depiction of Audrey Hepburn that reminds Lisa of her mother. "Passepartout framing gives the work importance and depth. The tonal palette of materials quietly connects to the room’s immersive colour while keeping focus on the artwork," Lisa explains.