Gold picture frames

Three kinds of gold

Ornate gold on a wood molding. A stepped or carved molding with a gold finish. This is the classic frame, and it is meant for oil paintings, embroidery, certificates and awards. The gallery here includes several album and gold disc awards that left the studio in frames like these.

A thin gold line in aluminum. A thin, clean molding in a gold tone, which is something completely different from ornate gold. It suits photography, modern prints and posters, where an ornate frame would compete with the picture. See our aluminum and metal frames page.

A gold floater frame. For stretched canvas and paintings on canvas: an outer frame that doesn't touch the edges of the canvas and leaves a thin gap around it. The gallery includes an oil painting of flowers and fruit in a gold floater frame. See our floater frames page.

Which gold, for which work

Gold works best when something in the work itself answers it: an oil painting in warm tones, embroidery, an official certificate, an award. In those cases an ornate gold frame adds weight and a sense of occasion.

On graphic design or a modern photograph, ornate gold almost always creates a clash. If you still want gold, the answer is a thin gold line, which gives the warmth without the heaviness.

And even within "gold" there are differences: sheen, depth of tone, molding width and how much ornament. Those differences only really show against the work itself, which is why at the studio we hold several molding samples against the picture and see which one works.

Gold and mats

A gold frame and a mat are a classic pairing, especially for certificates and diplomas. A mat in off-white or cream ties in with the paper, and the gold frame closes it in.

A double mat with a thin gold line around the opening is a small addition that does a lot for a diploma or an award. Going the other way, a black background with a gold frame gives a certificate a festive, sharp look. The gallery here includes an M.A. certificate framed exactly like that. See our picture mats page and our diploma frames page.

Awards, records and memorabilia

Album awards, gold and platinum discs and framed records are a natural place for an ornate gold frame. In pieces like these the item itself has depth, so it is mounted above the print or the sleeve, at a depth that leaves it room behind the glass.

The gallery on this page includes several pieces like these, all real and all from the studio. For records and sleeves, see our record framing page.

Already have an old gold frame?

An antique gold frame whose gold has faded, with a broken ornament or a corner that came apart, doesn't have to be thrown away. We complete missing ornaments, rejoin corners and regild. See our frame repair and restoration page.

How to order

Bring the work to the studio at 3 Naftali Palatin St., Booth 147, Rishon LeZion. No appointment is needed, and there is free parking nearby. We hold several gold moldings against the work, see what works, and you get a quote on the spot.

Most jobs are ready within two business days. A molding that has to be specially ordered, or deep framing for an award or a record, takes longer, and we tell you the turnaround in advance.