Gold, Silver, and Champagne Custom Frames: Which is Best?

If I asked you to close your eyes and imagine a picture frame, what color would pop into your mind? I’m willing to bet many of you envisioned a gold frame. It’s not surprising. Gold frames have been the standard for centuries. It’s usually the default frame artists’ choose for their works. It’s a popular color in cartoons and children’s books. The color’s popularity has ebbed and flowed over time as artistic and interior design styles have changed. However, it is still a strong contender in many framing projects.

Why?

People believe gold means luxurious and beautiful. The ancient Egyptians embellished religious artifacts and royal tombs with gold leaf. Since then, artisans have used gold to accent everything from furniture to small objects because they want to enhance the overall value and aesthetics of the piece. Today, quality gold frames–especially gold leaf frames–give art a custom and high-end look favored by interior designers, artists, and home decor enthusiasts.

However, yellow gold doesn’t work on every piece of art. The color is too warm, yellow, or harsh for some projects. An 1880 article in The Art Journal argued that “a gilded frame is a strong luminous yellow, and of course the effect of its presence on a picture is to destroy the power of the light-yellow tints of the work.” At the time, artists in Paris began moving toward black, brown, and natural colored woods” with only “a small strip of gilt…to mark the separation between the picture and frame.” If gold isn’t your thing and you don’t like black, wood, or colorful frames, you have two additional options: silver or champagne.

The Benefits of Gold, Silver, and Champagne Custom Frames

Silver and champagne frames have similar properties to their gold counterpart. All of them reflect light into the art. This is important if you want to brighten a dark piece. Light bounces off the metallic moulding and into the art. Many people use this same trick in dark rooms with mirrors; they strategically place a mirror so light bounces off the mirror and into the room. In the past, many artists chose gold to take advantage of its reflective nature.

Each color is incredibly versatile. They come in different sizes, profiles (i.e. flat, scooped, ornate, textured, etc.), and finishes (matte, lacquer, and antique). This means you can use them on traditional or modern art and mix and match them easily with your existing frames–including vintage. Yellow gold, white gold, and silver also come in a metal leaf finish which always looks custom and fancy.

Most people assume gold, silver, and champagne custom frames come in one type of color. However, each option comes in different undertones that can turn the overall color warm, cool, or neutral. Some have a little more red, black, or blue in them. This can have a massive impact on your framing decision because it may clash with the piece or draw out the wrong colors. In our opinion, it’s these details that make experimenting with different profiles and finishes so much fun. You can see the art transform before your very eyes.

Which Frame is Right for You?

That depends on you and your tastes. The best advice we can give you is to keep an open mind. Some people only choose frames based on interior design choices. While that isn’t a bad decision, it may not always be the right choice for the art. Some people believe silver frames are the best for black-and-white photos; however, we’ve seen stunning black-and-white images framed in gold. Others believe gold is the ultimate antique frame, but newer silver frames with an antique finish can look eighty-five years old. If you keep an open mind, the colors–and your tastes–may surprise you.

If you’re truly stuck between gold and silver, consider a champagne frame. It’s a classic. The color is versatile and soft. It can serve as a bridge on a gallery wall between different color moulding or antique and modern frames. Champagne has yellow and orange undertones that bring out the warmth of gold while reflecting the coolness of a silver frame. It’s also very forgiving on old, torn, or damaged pieces.

You can also use gold, silver, and champagne as an accent in your framing. Some mouldings come in two tones–black and gold, brown and silver, color and champagne, and so on. It’s the best of both worlds. If you can’t find a two-tone frame you like, then you can make one with fillets. You can even accent a frame design with metallic mats or French matting. There’s no limit to your creativity.

How to Care for Your Frame

It’s important to know what kind of frame you have. Is the frame metal or a veneer? Is it a metal leaf or another finish? Antique or modern? The answers to these questions will determine the best way to care for your frame. Some general rules include:

• Use a soft, dry cloth to lightly dust your frames.
• Do not use ammonia-based cleaners on the glass. The ammonia will destroy the protective coating on your glazing. Spray the cleaner on a cloth and wipe the glass to help prevent streaks of fluid running into the frame and under the glazing.
• Consult your framer before using polishes or surface cleaners on your frames. Harsh chemicals can cause irreversible damage to your moulding.

You can always, always call a professional framer for a consultation about frame cleaning and damage treatment. They’ll give you a few options for your review, including do-it-yourself solutions. If you’re getting a new frame, you should ask for their tips on how to best clean and maintain your frame.

So which frame is best? There is a choice for every piece when it comes to gold, silver, and champagne custom frames. They’re beautiful, versatile, and never truly go out of style. Take a look at one of these classic colors with your next framing project.