When a corporate client came to Liz Lidgett Gallery with a big idea (original artwork framed as a gift for every employee), the gallery had the art side covered. What they needed was a framing partner who could deliver at a scale most framers can’t touch, at a price the project budget would tolerate, and on a deadline that could not slip. Here is how a collaborative approach to pricing, product, and logistics turned a 3,600-frame project into a clean, on-time delivery.
Meet Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design
Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design is a Des Moines-based gallery and design firm known for connecting people with original art. Their clients range from private homeowners building personal collections to corporations bringing art into their workplaces and gifting programs. Small business owner Tina Ehrlich leads the operations side of a lot of these projects, including the one we partnered on: a corporate art gifting initiative that put an original, framed piece of art into the hands of thousands of employees.
The Challenge: Framing At Scale, Without Breaking the Budget
Large-volume framing is a different animal from everyday custom framing. When the gallery’s Director of Operations, Tina Ehrlich, walked us through the project, her challenge came down to one word: scale.
When asked what framing challenges her team faced before working with us, her answer was direct:
“Framing at high quantities, once we get into the thousands.”
The team had previously worked with local framers and other online framers, but neither model held up at this order size:
- Volume limits. Local framing shops physically could not produce thousands of custom frames on the timeline.
- Pricing pressure. At the corporate-gifting scale, per-frame cost drives the entire project budget. A price that works for ten frames does not work for three thousand.
- Timeline risk. With a mid-June employee gifting deadline, there was no room for a delayed shipment or a re-do.
- Communication overhead. On an order this large, slow email replies stop being an inconvenience and start being a project risk.
In Tina’s own words: “Before Frame It Easy, we had a hard time framing works at such a high quantity, within a reasonable timeline and budget.”
The Solution: Working the Problem to Get to Best Value
The initial quote request came in on November 11, 2025. Price was the biggest hurdle. Instead of coming back with a standard bid, our team asked a question that unlocked the whole project:
“Could the frames be produced in various mouldings?”
The answer was yes. That flexibility let us bring in overstock material across multiple frame moulding options, dropping the per-frame cost without giving up quality. Liz Lidgett’s team loved the approach, and it became the final solution the project was built around.
Getting to “best value” on a project this size wasn’t solely about a discount. It was about problem-solving. When a gallery brings us a fixed budget target, our job is not to hand back a quote and hope. It is to find the pricing and product mix that makes the project possible. Flexible frame style offerings unlocked overstock material. Overstock material dropped per-frame cost. Nothing was compromised on the finished pieces. That is the kind of collaboration a bulk order deserves.
“They were the best value, on-time and great communicators.”
— Tina Ehrlich, Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design
From there, execution:
- 3,500 frames initially specified, later increased to 3,600 when the customer added 100 more mid-project (a signal of confidence we do not take for granted at that volume).
- Timeline was pushed back slightly during the project on the customer’s end. We absorbed the shift without disrupting the delivery plan.
- Shipped in full on May 21, 2026, nearly a month ahead of the mid-June deadline.
The frames went on to be paired with original artwork by the Liz Lidgett team and delivered as gifts to the corporate client’s employees.
What Changed for the Business
For the Liz Lidgett Gallery, the outcome was clear: a project that other framers could not take on, delivered ahead of schedule and on budget. From Tina’s responses, the impact showed up in two clear ways:
- Reduced framing costs. The flexible-moulding and overstock approach kept per-frame pricing viable at scale, protecting the project margins the gallery needed to make the whole program work for their client.
- Scaled orders. A 3,600-frame corporate gifting project executed as one clean wholesale framing order, not a coordination nightmare across multiple framers or shops.
Results reflect Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design’s specific project and partnership. Individual business outcomes vary based on order volume, product mix, timeline, and how custom framing fits into your project. Talk to our B2B team about what a partnership could look like for your business.
What Stood Out: A Partner, Not Just a Vendor
Ask Tina what stood out most, and she does not lead with the frames. She leads with the people:
“Quick replies, fast answers, price adjustments based on our specific needs.”
That is the difference between a framing vendor and a framing partner. On a 3,600-frame order, “quick replies” is not a nice-to-have. It is the difference between an on-time delivery and a project that spirals. After the last box shipped, Tina sent our team a personal note that captured exactly what the partnership felt like from her side:
This is how partnerships get built.
How Could a Custom Framing Partner Work for Your Business?
The Liz Lidgett story is one example of what is possible when custom framing becomes part of your business’s execution instead of a limit on what you can take on. If you are a gallery, design firm, agency, or brand pitching bulk framing work (corporate gifting programs, office installations, event keepsakes, or large-scale exhibition builds), you probably know the ceiling other framers hit. There is a way to go past that ceiling without giving up quality or margin.
Businesses with that shape all run into the same wall Liz Lidgett did: real projects with real deadlines, at volumes local shops cannot service and prices online marketplaces cannot beat. We solve it the same way. Not with a template quote, but with a real conversation about options, mat options, timeline, packaging, and price, until the project pencils out.
Full-Service Framing and Fulfillment: We now offer value-added services such as bulk image uploading, branded inserts, custom box labeling, art installation, mat attachment, and specialized hanging hardware for our business account holders. These options are available by request and reviewed on an individual basis. Reach out to our Business Framing Team to learn more.
And a bulk gifting project is only one of the shapes our business partnerships take. Frame It Easy also offers:
- Custom landing pages for platforms and brands that want their customers to order framed products in a few clicks (see our Togetherweserved.com case study for what this looks like in practice)
- 3PL and fulfillment services for businesses that want us to hold the framed inventory and ship on their behalf
- Dropshipping direct to your customers under your branding
- Shopify App integration for storefronts that want framing built into checkout
- API integration for partners with engineering resources and higher-order velocity
- White label service on packing slips and shipping labels for qualifying Business and Reseller accounts
- Reseller program for artists, photographers, and creators selling framed work
- Business Accounts with dashboard ordering, wholesale pricing, and saved specs
The Liz Lidgett project used one of these offers. Yours might use a different one, or a combination. For projects at scale, we work alongside our partners to find the pricing and product mix that fits, not just a quote, but a solution.
For a broader look at planning a bulk order, our bulk frame order planning guide walks through it in nine steps. And if you are weighing whether Frame It Easy is the right fit for your project, our is Frame It Easy right for my custom framing project guide is a good place to start.
Our Most Budget-Friendly Picture Frames
Popular amongst our wholesale purchasers, the Wilton is our best-value wood frame style. It has a flat profile face that is 1 ¼” wide. It’s a quality composite wood picture frame, or MDF material, that’s finished with a decorative wood pattern wrap.
FAQs About Custom Framing for Your Business With Frame It Easy
Can Frame It Easy handle thousands of frames in a single order?
Yes. The Liz Lidgett project is one example: 3,600 custom frames, delivered in full on one shipment. Very large orders start with a conversation so we can plan the frame style, timeline, and logistics together. Request a custom quote to get started.
How does pricing work for bulk custom framing?
Every bulk quote is built around the specifics of your project: quantity, size mix, frame style preferences, mat and cover options, and timeline. For projects where price is the primary constraint, we can often find creative solutions (budget mouldings, overstock material, product mix adjustments) that meaningfully reduce per-frame cost without compromising quality.
How far in advance should I request a bulk framing quote?
As early as possible. The Liz Lidgett quote request came in about six months before the delivery deadline, which gave both teams room to shape the solution properly. Longer lead times unlock more options.
What kinds of businesses use Frame It Easy for bulk orders?
Galleries, interior designers, corporate art programs, event planners, agencies, retailers, and any business handling installations or gifting projects at scale. See our wholesale and bulk picture frames page for more.
What if my project timeline shifts mid-project?
Hey, it happens. When Liz Lidgett’s timeline moved during the course of the work, we absorbed the shift without disrupting the delivery plan. Communication and flexibility are part of what a framing partner should bring to the table, but communication is key!
Ready To Talk About Your Project?
Whether you are pitching a corporate gifting program, planning a gallery show, executing an office installation, or building framing into your art business, we would love to talk.
So where do I start?
The best place to start is by creating a business account. Once you connect with us, we can help you find all the right custom matting and framing solutions for your business.
