Custom Art Framing Services
in Colorado Springs, CO
The right frame should do more than surround a piece. It should complement the artwork, suit the room, and protect what matters for years to come. At Art & Frame Approach, we provide custom framing in Colorado Springs for artwork, family photographs, diplomas, heirlooms, textiles, collectibles, and other meaningful pieces. Since 1986, our team located at 1010 W Colorado Ave A has combined thoughtful design guidance with museum-quality craftsmanship and archival materials. And with numerous mouldings and a wide variety of mat options to explore, we offer an unusually broad selection while helping each customer create a finished presentation that feels personal, balanced, and built to last.
Custom Framing
Designed Around the Piece
Every framing project starts with the item itself. A bold contemporary print may call for a clean, minimal frame, while an antique photograph or family document may need a more traditional presentation. Our job is to help you find the combination that supports the piece without overpowering it.
We consider:
- Artwork style and color
- Size and proportions
- Interior decor
- Display location
- Preservation needs
- Personal taste
- Budget
- Long-term value
Our professional framing services are collaborative. We listen to what you like, explain the available options, and guide you through the choices without making the process feel overwhelming.
Museum-Quality Craftsmanship
Since 1986
Art & Frame Approach has served the community for more than 30 years. Since opening in 1986, we have built our reputation through careful craftsmanship, an extensive design selection, and a strong commitment to archival preservation.
That experience matters. Framing involves design judgment, technical skill, and an understanding of how different materials interact over time. Our team knows how to balance appearance with conservation so the finished piece looks polished without compromising the item inside.
We approach each project as something worth protecting, whether it is a valuable original, a child’s drawing, a diploma, or a photograph that carries personal meaning. Our custom picture frames are built with attention to fit, finish, structural support, and preservation.
Professional Picture Framing
Versus Mass Retail Framing
Mass retailers often rely on limited materials, preset combinations, and production-focused workflows. Professional picture framing is more individualized.
We take time to evaluate the item, recommend appropriate conservation materials, and create a design suited to its dimensions and condition. The frame, mat, glazing, backing, and mounting method are selected as a complete system rather than as separate decorative parts.
This matters when framing something valuable, sentimental, fragile, or irreplaceable. A frame should not only look attractive on the wall. It should also reduce exposure to environmental conditions that may cause fading, discoloration, moisture damage, or physical deterioration.
A Frame Design Consultation
With Real Options
One of the biggest differences between our custom frame shop and a mass retailer is the depth of selection. Many shops may have two walls of frame samples. We have five full walls of frame mouldings, giving customers an unusually wide range of colors, profiles, materials, finishes, and styles.
Our selection includes options that can suit:
- Traditional artwork
- Modern prints
- Photography
- Diplomas and certificates
- Children’s artwork
- Sports memorabilia
- Needlework and textiles
- Maps and historical documents
- Family heirlooms
- Collectibles and keepsakes
During your frame design consultation, we compare moldings directly against the piece so you can see how each choice affects the overall look. We also help narrow the options based on your goals, making a large selection easier to navigate.
Archival Framing
for Long-Term Protection
Archival framing uses conservation-grade materials and techniques intended to protect the item inside the frame. This is especially important for original artwork, limited-edition prints, photographs, documents, textiles, and family pieces that cannot easily be replaced.
Our archival framing approach may include:
- Acid-free or conservation-grade matting
- Archival backing materials
- Reversible mounting methods when appropriate
- Protective glazing
- Proper spacing between the artwork and glass
- Secure, conservation-minded assembly
- Materials selected to reduce harmful chemical exposure
Lower-quality materials can discolor artwork or cause staining over time. Our strict focus on preservation helps protect the piece from avoidable damage while maintaining a clean, professional presentation.
Matting Options
That Improve Design and Protection
Matting does more than add color around a picture. It creates visual space, improves proportion, and helps prevent the artwork from resting directly against the glazing.
We offer a wide variety of matting options, including different colors, textures, widths, and layered combinations. A single neutral mat may create a simple, refined look. Multiple mats can introduce depth or highlight colors within the artwork.
We help customers choose matting that supports the piece rather than competing with it. For preservation-sensitive projects, we recommend conservation-grade materials that are appropriate for long-term display.
UV Glass
and Protective Glazing Choices
Light exposure is one of the most common causes of fading. Artwork displayed near windows, in bright rooms, or under strong artificial lighting may gradually lose color and detail.
UV glass can help reduce exposure to ultraviolet light while allowing the artwork to remain clearly visible. Depending on the project, we may discuss different glazing choices based on clarity, reflection control, weight, safety, and conservation needs.
Protective glazing may be particularly useful for:
- Original paintings and drawings
- Photographs
- Signed prints
- Diplomas
- Historical documents
- Textiles
- Collectibles
- Sentimental family pieces
No glazing can eliminate every environmental risk, but selecting the right material can make a meaningful difference in long-term artwork preservation in Colorado Springs.
Framing Artwork, Heirlooms,
and Collectibles
Custom art framing can be used for far more than standard prints and photographs. We regularly help customers display items that have unusual dimensions, depth, texture, or sentimental value.
Our artwork framing services can accommodate:
- Canvas artwork
- Watercolors
- Charcoal and pastel pieces
- Family photos
- Military memorabilia
- Medals and awards
- Jerseys
- Needlepoint
- Wedding keepsakes
- Dimensional objects
- Vintage documents
- Personal collections
Shadow boxes and specialized mounting techniques allow us to create secure displays for three-dimensional objects. Each project is planned around the item’s size, weight, condition, and preservation requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pricing depends on the frame molding, size, matting, glazing, mounting method, and preservation materials. We provide options at different price points and explain the cost before work begins.
Turnaround depends on the project, materials, and current workload. We provide an estimated completion timeframe after finalizing the design.
Not every item requires the same level of conservation. We recommend archival materials for valuable, sentimental, original, fragile, or irreplaceable pieces.
Yes. We create shadow boxes and custom displays for medals, keepsakes, textiles, jerseys, collectibles, and other dimensional items.
UV glass helps reduce ultraviolet light exposure that can contribute to fading and deterioration. It is often recommended for photographs, artwork, documents, and sentimental pieces.
Yes. Our consultation process is designed to make selection easier. We compare options, explain design choices, and help you create a balanced presentation that suits the piece and your space.
What to Expect
From Our Custom Framing Process
Our process is straightforward and personalized.
- Bring in Your Piece: We begin by examining the item and discussing where it may be displayed, what style you prefer, and how much protection it needs.
- Explore Frame and Mat Combinations: We compare moldings, matting, and glazing options directly with the piece. Our five walls of samples provide choices for nearly every style.
- Select Preservation Materials: We recommend archival backing, mounting, matting, and protective glazing based on the item’s condition and value.
- Approve the Design: Before production begins, we make sure you are comfortable with the overall appearance, materials, and cost.
- Professional Assembly: We complete the framing with close attention to measurements, alignment, cleanliness, structural support, and finishing details.
Give Your Artwork
the Protection and Presentation It Deserves
A meaningful piece deserves more than a standard frame pulled from a shelf. At our framing shop in Colorado Springs, Art & Frame Approach combines museum-quality materials, careful craftsmanship, and more than three decades of experience to create framing that protects as beautifully as it presents. Our five walls of moldings offer an exceptional range of styles, while our conservation-focused process helps safeguard artwork, photographs, documents, heirlooms, and collectibles. So don’t wait: visit our custom frame shop today to begin your consultation, and create a finished display designed specifically for the piece you value.