Should Canvas Prints be Framed?

The nice thing about art and home décor is that it’s all very subjective and personal. Whether you prefer the clean, minimalist lines of an unframed canvas or you’d rather complement the subject with a nice frame, there is no right or wrong choice. But how do you decide if framing a particular canvas is right for you?

Start by thinking about your personal style. What does the rest of your home décor look like? What colors have you already incorporated into the space? What are the pros and cons of each choice? Let’s delve a little deeper into the two options.

Let’s start by discussing what makes a canvas unique. Printed canvas is stretched tightly over a wooden frame; this frame is what gives the canvas structure and dimension that you won’t see in a flat paper print. There are several options for how a canvas is wrapped, however, and this can make the difference between framing a work and leaving it unframed.

CanvasChamp offers the following options for how your canvas wraps around the pinewood frame: Mirror Wrap, Image Wrap, or Colored Border. The mirror image option simply mirrors your image around the exposed border on the sides of your print. The image wrap option, on the other hand, wraps your existing image around the edges of the canvas; it’s important to pay attention to your image dimensions as they relate to the dimensions of the canvas! Finally, you have the option to leave the borders empty and simply choose a complementary color for the sides of your canvas.

Depending on the dimensions of the wooden frame beneath the canvas, you could even create a multi-dimensional gallery wall by mixing thicker and thinner canvases in different sizes. In this case, the dimension and depth of the canvas print is more than enough to highlight the artwork. Similarly, when the subject printed on the canvas is fairly busy or has an intentionally unfinished look, you may wish to keep it unframed. A frame, in this case, would distract rather than highlight.

If, however, your particular art piece is simple and clean, a nice frame may be just the thing to give it some extra impact on your wall. The key is to select a frame that complements the rest of your home décor while also showcasing the artwork in a meaningful way.

If you have a very minimalist style, choose a frame that isn’t fussy or elaborate. Steer clear of baroque-inspired pieces or pieces that are too bold. If, however, you’re looking to make a statement or bring a pop of color to your walls, you can choose a frame that pops while complementing the art piece on the canvas.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Play around with your images and the frame offerings in our canvas ordering tool. Once you’ve seen mockups of what your photo could look like paired with different frames, you’ll be more confident in your decision to either frame your canvas or leave it as-is.