Custom frame options allow you to frame it yours. You made it, found it, collected it, or stitched it. Now it deserves a frame that actually fits it, in every sense of the word. With us, customization isn’t a premium add-on. It’s the whole point. This guide walks through every component you can customize, one by one, from the frame itself to the mat to the paper it’s printed on, so you can build a frame that looks like it was made for your art. Because it was.
Every option below can be mixed, matched, and previewed in our 3D Frame Designer before you commit to anything.
Consider this article your full Frame It Easy custom framing menu.
Frame Style: Wood or Metal (and Every Color in Between)
Your first customizable component is the frame itself: material, profile, and color. Wood and metal are both fully custom-sized, and each brings a different energy to the wall.
Wood Frames
Wood frames bring warmth, texture, and a classic-to-modern range depending on the profile and finish. They’re a natural fit for traditional art, family photos, gallery walls with a cozy feel, and anything that wants a little substance around it. Think rich stains, clean painted finishes, and profiles from slim and minimal to bold and chunky.
Metal Frames
Metal frames are sleek, sturdy, and quietly modern. They keep the visual weight low so the art does the talking, which makes them a favorite for photography, prints, posters, and contemporary work. If your style leans toward clean lines and gallery-minimal, metal is your friend.
Picture Frame Color Options
Frame color is where “custom” gets fun. Classic black, white, gold, and silver are always in play, but so are bolder options like yellow and hot pink for art that refuses to be subtle. A colorful frame can echo a hue inside the artwork, contrast against a neutral wall, or just announce that this is not your grandma’s framing. If you want guidance, start with your art: pull a supporting color from the piece itself, and the frame will always feel intentional.
Customize The Size
Size is the customization that makes everything else possible. We build frames to fit art sizes from 1″ x 1″ up to 42″ x 62″, to the exact fraction of an inch your art needs. That means the tiny Polaroid, the odd-sized concert poster, and the oversized statement print all get the same treatment: a frame made precisely for them.
This is honestly where custom framing earns its keep. Standard frames come in a handful of sizes; your art comes in thousands. If you’ve ever tried to squeeze an 11″ x 17″ print into an 11″ x 14″ frame, you already know.
Matting: All the Layers, All the Colors
Matting is the border between your art and the frame, and it’s the single most customizable component in the entire build. You control the layers, the color, the finish, the thickness, and even the color inside the beveled edge. Here’s every lever you can pull.
Single Mat vs. Double Mat
A single mat gives your art one clean border, while a double mat layers a second color underneath, revealed as a thin accent line around the artwork. Single mats are timeless and let the art stand on its own. Double mats add depth and a designer-level detail, especially when that inner reveal picks up a color from the piece. It’s a small touch that makes people ask where you got it framed. Still deciding? Our Single Mat vs. Double Mat guide breaks down when each one shines.
Mat Opening Shapes
Even the shape of your mat opening is a choice. We offer four: square, rectangle, oval, and circle. Rectangles and squares are the classics, and the right call for most prints, photos, and art. But oval and circular openings bring a softness that’s perfect for portraits, vintage photos, botanical prints, or anything that deserves a less-expected look. A round opening inside a square frame is one of those combinations that instantly reads as intentional, custom, and a little bit gallery.
And since the opening shape works with everything else in this section, you can pair a circle opening with a double mat, a metallic finish, or a bold color from Smart Color Matching. Shape is just one more dial to turn.
Mat Colors: If You Can Picture It, We Can Match It
Crisp whites, moody grays, saturated brights, soft pastels, and yes, hot pink: our matboard color range covers just about any hue your art could ask for. And with Smart Color Matching, the options go even further. It analyzes your artwork and generates mat colors matched directly to the piece itself, so you’re not limited to a swatch wall, even though we have that too! You’re choosing from colors pulled from your actual art. You still get the final say. We just take the guesswork out of getting there.
Metallic, Patterned, and Specialty Mats
When a solid color isn’t enough, metallic mats add a subtle shimmer that catches the light and gives art an elevated, gallery-ready finish. Patterned matboards go the other direction: texture and personality for playful pieces, kids’ art, nursery decor, or anywhere the framing itself should be part of the design. Conservation and 100% cotton museum-quality matboards round out the lineup for pieces that need archival-grade protection.
Ply and Core: The Details Framers Notice
Matboard thickness is measured in ply, and yes, even that is customizable. Our standard matboards are 4-ply (1/16″ thick), which gives most art a clean, professional border. Want more depth? We also offer a 6-ply (1/12″) option in black and our thickest 8-ply (1/8″) in White Sail, Super White, and Jet Black, for a dramatic, dimensional bevel that makes art feel gallery-mounted. One sizing note: 4-ply mats go up to 42″ x 62″, while thicker plies, metallics, and patterns go up to 32″ x 40″.
Then there’s the core: the color revealed along the beveled edge when your mat opening is cut. All of our custom color matboards feature a bright white core for a crisp accent line around your art, and select styles come with a black core for bold, modern contrast. It’s the kind of detail most people don’t consciously notice, but it’s exactly why professionally cut matting looks finished in a way that DIY never quite does. For the full breakdown, our Complete Guide to Matboards covers every layer.
Collage Frames: One Frame, Multiple Openings
Collage frames let you display multiple pieces in a single frame using multi-opening mats, with both rectangular, circular, and oval openings available. Three vacation photos, a series of small prints, a photo-and-memorabilia combo: collage-style frames turn them into one cohesive display instead of a scattered wall of mismatched frames.
And because the mat is custom-cut, you decide how many openings, what shapes, and how they’re arranged. Match the mat color to a theme (school colors around grad photos is a frame-fan favorite), or keep it clean and let the collection speak. It’s the difference between hanging photos and telling a story.
Acrylic Cover: Clear, Non-Glare, or Conservation Clear
Every frame includes a protective acrylic cover, and you choose the type based on where it hangs and what it holds. We offer three:
- Clear Acrylic: Crystal-clear protection that looks like glass without the weight or the shatter risk. The go-to for most art.
- Non-Glare Acrylic: A matte finish that diffuses reflections, ideal for bright rooms, hallway lighting, or anywhere glare would compete with the art.
- Conservation Clear Acrylic: Blocks UV light to protect valuable or irreplaceable pieces from fading over time. If it’s an original, a limited edition, or something you can never get again, this is the one.
Want the deep dive on which cover fits your situation? We break it all down in our guide to acrylic types, so you know what’s what and which would work best for your frameable.
Paper Type: Art, Photo, or Giclee
If you’re uploading a digital file for us to print and frame, the paper itself is a customizable component too. You choose from three types, each suited to different work:
- Art Paper: A smooth textured, matte finish that gives digital art, illustrations, and reproductions a gallery feel.
- Photo Paper: Smooth and semi-matte, built to make photography look sharp and true to color.
- Giclée: Archival-quality, fine-art printing with exceptional color depth. The perfect choice for artists selling or displaying serious work.
Photo Paper vs. Art Paper vs. Giclée Paper: Key Differences
| Photo Paper | Art Paper | Giclée Paper | |
| Finish | Semi-Matte with slight gloss/luster/sheen | Completely Matte | Completely Matte |
| Texture | Smooth | Smooth | Semi-Smooth |
| Tone | Bright White | Natural White (Has a hint of warmth) | Natural White (Has a hint of warmth) |
| Best For | Photographs, text-heavy designs | Art reproductions (paintings, illustrations, digital art) | Fine art reproductions that are of conservation and museum quality |
| Cost | Most affordable | Slightly more expensive (but not significantly so) | Slightly more expensive |
| Best Matting Match | Smooth White | Smooth White | White Sail |
| Weight | 68 lb / 270 gsm | 80 lb / 300 gsm | 84 lb / 315 gsm |
The right paper changes how a piece reads on the wall, so it’s worth a moment of thought. Our paper types guide covers the differences in even more detail.
What Can You Actually Frame?
(Spoiler: It’s More Than You Think!)
If it fits between 1″ x 1″ and 42″ x 62″, you can probably frame it. Prints, photos, and posters are the obvious ones, but frame fans get creative:
- Textiles: Jerseys, concert tees, embroidery, quilted pieces, and fabric art
- Diamond art: Finished diamond paintings deserve better than a closet shelf, and a custom-sized frame fits them exactly
- Puzzles: All those hours deserve wall time
- Kids’ artwork: Crayon masterpieces look surprisingly legit behind a double mat
- Memorabilia: Ticket stubs, records, pressed flowers, diplomas, flags
The through line: if you care about it, it’s frameable. Custom sizing and matting are what make the unusual stuff possible, because nothing about a finished diamond painting or a vintage tee is “standard size.”
Customizing at Scale: For Businesses, Galleries, and Designers
Every custom option above is just as available at 50 frames as it is at one. For galleries prepping a show, interior designers ordering for clients, artists bundling frames with their prints, or offices refreshing their walls, full customization at volume is exactly what we built for. Consistent quality, exact sizing across an entire order, and mat and style choices that match your brand or your client’s vision.
If you’re framing for a business, our business framing page covers volume options, partnerships, and how we make customization effortless when the order gets big.
Eligible Business Account holders receive ongoing exclusive 15% savings with no minimum purchase required. Learn how!
FAQ: Custom Frame Options
What can you customize on a picture frame?
Everything: frame material (wood or metal), frame color, exact size, mat style (single or double), mat color, pattern, ply, and core, number of mat openings, acrylic cover type, and paper type for printed pieces. At Frame It Easy, every one of these is chosen by you and previewed before you order.
What sizes do custom frames come in?
Our frames accommodate art sizes from 1″ x 1″ up to 42″ x 62″, built to your exact dimensions. You measure your art, and the frame is made to fit it precisely.
Is a single mat or double mat better?
Single mats offer a clean, classic look, while double mats add a thin accent reveal of a second color for extra depth. Double mats work especially well when the inner color picks up a hue from the artwork. Neither is “better,” but double matting is the detail designers reach for most.
Can you frame things other than art and photos?
Yes. Textiles, diamond art, puzzles, records, jerseys, and memorabilia can all be custom-framed. Custom sizing is what makes it work, since most of these items don’t fit standard frame dimensions.
How do I know which mat color to pick?
Start with a color that appears in your art but isn’t the dominant one, and the whole piece will feel pulled together. Or skip the guesswork entirely: Smart Color Matching with Frame It Easy analyzes your artwork and generates mat colors matched directly to the piece, so the options are practically unlimited.
Going DIY: Customizing Beyond the Menu
An honorable mention for the frame fans who like to take customization into their own hands: nearly every component we’ve covered can also be a DIY starting point. Some of our favorite tricks from the community:
- Paint or refinish a frame. Start with one of our wood frames and give it a custom color we don’t offer (yet). A coat of paint turns a classic profile into something completely yours.
- Embellish your matboard. Hand-lettering, signatures around a wedding photo, pressed flowers under the acrylic: the mat is a canvas too, if you want it to be
We’ll always tell you what we can and can’t do (that’s the “real” part of keeping it real), but where our menu ends, your creativity doesn’t have to. So go for it!.
Frame It Yours
That’s a lot of ways to customize a single frame, and if it feels like a lot to hold in your head, here’s the good news: you don’t have to. Our 3D Frame Designer walks you through each choice one at a time, showing you exactly how it looks as you go, so nothing here is a guessing game. Every option in this guide exists for one reason: so your finished frame looks like it belongs to your art, your wall, and your story. Build it, spin it, and watch every choice come together before a single thing gets made.
So where do I start?
Start by choosing something you have been meaning to frame. Then select a standard size or use a custom size, play with matting options, and all the other bells and whistles in our 3D Frame Designer. We guide you every step of the way, giving you the confidence to properly frame your frameables! It’s that easy!
