The Art of Re-Framing: How a New Frame Can Transform an Old Favourite
- casey4212
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 4
There's a piece on your wall that you love. Or used to love — before the frame started looking tired, dated, or just wrong for the space it's in now. The artwork itself is still great. The frame is the problem.
Re-framing is one of the most satisfying and cost-effective things you can do for a piece of art — and it's one of our most popular services at Artmount & Framing Matters. The same artwork, a new frame, and suddenly it's alive again. It's remarkable how much difference it makes.
When Should You Re-Frame?
There's no single rule, but here are the situations where re-framing is almost always worth considering:
• The frame is physically damaged — scratched, chipped, warped, or the joinery is failing
• The style feels dated and no longer suits your taste or interior
• You've moved house and the frame doesn't work in the new space
• The mat board is yellowing or showing signs of acid damage
• The glass is scratched, fogged, or lacks UV protection
• You've upgraded the rest of the room and the frame hasn't kept pace
Dixie re-frames her own artworks periodically for exactly this reason. "It is a very satisfying way to breathe new life into tired or dated artworks," she says. Coming from someone who has spent 30+ years in the industry, that's a genuine endorsement.
What Happens When You Bring a Piece In?
We start with a conversation. We'll look at the artwork, talk about where it's going, what you're hoping to achieve, and what your budget is. From there, we'll make recommendations — frame styles, mat options, glass choices — and show you samples so you can see how they actually look against the piece.
Once you're happy with the direction, we carefully remove the artwork from its existing frame and get to work. Every piece is handled with care — we've been doing this long enough to know that the artwork inside the frame is always the most important thing.
The Opportunity to Upgrade
Re-framing is also an opportunity to improve the materials around your artwork. Many older frames — particularly those done before conservation framing became standard — use materials that aren't archivally sound. Acidic mat boards. Non-UV glass. Backings that off-gas and damage what they're supposed to protect.
When we re-frame, we use archival-quality materials throughout as standard. Your artwork comes back not just looking better — it comes back better protected.
The Cost Question
Re-framing costs vary depending on the size of the piece, the frame style chosen, and the glass and mat options selected. In many cases, it's significantly less than buying a new piece of art — and the result is an artwork that looks brand new.
Come in for an obligation-free consultation and we'll give you a clear quote. No commitment required.
A Note on Sentimental Pieces
We regularly re-frame pieces that have been in families for generations — portraits, heirlooms, artworks with significant sentimental value. We treat these with exactly the same care as any high-value original work. The emotional value of a piece is reason enough to do it properly.
If you have something precious that needs re-framing — or that you're not sure about — bring it in and have a conversation. We've seen a lot, and we've never met a piece we couldn't help.