Two Sources for Affordable Framing

Many of my framed prints and photos reside in Ikea's affordable frames, but sometimes and IKEA frame won't fit the piece you wish to mount. So, I wanted to share two sources I have recently discovered for affordable framing: 

I recently purchased an odd-sized print for my sister. When it came time to find a frame, I realized that there weren't any off-shelf options that would fit the print, so I went to a framing shop here in New York to get a quote on framing the piece. When I was told it would cost $160+ to get a simple, birch frame, I quickly decided to do a little more research. I ended up ordering a frame from FramesByMail.com, which cost just about $40. While it has plexi instead of regular glass, the frame was otherwise not all the different from the model that would have cost me four times as much as the mail order version. It would still be cost-effective to have ordered the frame and get a piece of glass cut to fit it. I should note, you can't see or feel the frame you'll be ordering, so you can't be super-picky.

Another option for your photographs is Plywerk, a company that mounts photographs onto eco-friendly bamboo panels. I've seen a Plywerk-mounted photo up-close, and I am super-impressed with the quality of the product. At about $35 for an 8x10 print, this is a pretty affordable way to frame photos, and I think it would be a great option for artists mounting a gallery show. Above and below are two shots of the Plywerk panels, to show you what they look like.