Museum-Quality Custom Framing, Right Here in San Marcos

Preserve what matters with handcrafted custom framing, archival materials, and personal design support.

• Locally owned since 1989: We’ve been serving North County San Diego for over 30 years with custom framing and restoration services.

• One-on-one design consultations: You’ll work directly with a designer to choose the best frame, matting, and glass for your piece.

• Built entirely in-house: Every frame is made on-site by skilled artisans. No outsourcing, no shortcuts.

• Conservation-grade materials: We use acid-free mats, UV-protective glazing, and museum-quality techniques to preserve your piece.

• Second-generation craftsmanship: Our team includes a new generation of framers trained under Richard Tjaden’s legacy of detail and care.

What We Frame

From artwork and photos to jerseys and diplomas, we help you frame what matters most. Each piece is handled with care, using archival materials and techniques suited to the item. Whether it’s flat, dimensional, delicate, or bold, we’ll design a frame that fits both the item and the story behind it.

Custom Framing

We frame pieces in any size or shape using your choice of wood, metal, or specialty moulding. Every design is built to match your aesthetic and display needs. Whether you're framing one piece or an entire collection, we’ll help you choose the right look.

Photo Framing

Photos tell your story. We frame family portraits, wedding pictures, travel memories, and more using archival mats and conservation, UV glass to protect against fading. Choose from traditional or contemporary styles to complement your space.

Artwork Framing

We work with artists, collectors, and galleries to frame original paintings, drawings, prints, and mixed media. Each frame is tailored to the medium, canvas, paper, or board, and mounted using preservation techniques that protect long-term value.

Shadow Box Framing

When you want to frame 3D items, shadow boxes are the solution. We create deep, secure frames for objects like medals, flags, keepsakes, clothing, or heirlooms. Each piece is mounted securely with custom spacing and layout for a clean, dimensional display.

Diploma Framing

Your achievements deserve to be seen. We offer classic and modern diploma frames with mats, school logos, and glass that blocks UV light to prevent yellowing. Perfect for home offices, graduations, or professional settings.

Sports Memorabilia Framing

From signed jerseys to autographed photos and game-used gear, we build secure, standout displays that celebrate your team and protect your collection. Jersey framing includes custom mat layouts, sewn or floated mount options, and museum-grade acrylic or glass.

Poster Framing

Whether it’s vintage, pop culture, Disney, Star Wars or personal, we make posters look polished and ready to hang. We mount and frame posters to prevent ripples, fading, or warping over time. Perfect for theaters, home decor, or retail display.

Painting Framing

We stretch, mount, and frame paintings on canvas or board. Choose from floater frames, classic mouldings, or minimal modern looks. All materials are conservation-grade and adjusted to your painting’s depth and texture.

Collage Framing

Tell a full story with multi-opening mats and collage-style framing. Ideal for family timelines, vacation photos, pet portraits, or memorial pieces. We help lay out each element so it feels balanced, cohesive, and meaningful. We can even print your photos.

Stitchery, Needlepoint or Quilt Framing

Hand-stitched pieces need special care. We custom stretch and block needlepoints, cross-stitch, embroidery, quilts and other fabric creations, and then museum mount them so they are protected without adhesives. With archival materials and elegant frame designs, we highlight the craftsmanship of your work while preserving it for years to come.

Framing Treatments That Fit Your Piece and Style

The way a piece is mounted inside the frame changes how it looks and how it lasts. At A Frame of Art, we offer several treatment styles to match your artwork, photography, or keepsake with the right visual depth and protection.

• Straight Fit: The artwork is framed edge-to-edge with no mat or spacing. It’s mounted on acid-free backing and placed directly under UV-protective glass or acrylic. This style is clean, simple, and best for modern pieces or full-bleed prints.

• Mat and Frame: A classic choice that adds 2" to 4" of mat board around the image. We use archival, acid-free matting to give your piece space to breathe and draw attention inward. Available in dozens of colors and thicknesses, or use a combination of mats to make your art pop.

• Museum Float: Ideal for artwork with deckled or torn edges. The piece is raised slightly off the backing and floats within the frame, creating soft shadows and a refined, gallery-like effect.

• Modern Float: The image is mounted on white backing with a 1" reveal between the edge of the art and the frame. Great for bold prints or minimal interiors where clean lines matter.

• Gallery Mount: A layered look where the piece is mounted to an archival board, surrounded by an 8-ply mat with a small reveal, and set deep in the frame. This adds depth, contrast, and a professional finish.

• Shadow Box Setback: Designed for dimensional or fragile items. The object is spaced away from the glass and framed within a deep box-style frame. Perfect for jerseys, keepsakes, medals, or small collections.

• Fillets for Frames & Mats: A fillet is a small, decorative liner that adds a touch of elegance inside a frame or mat. Whether used to introduce a subtle accent color or to create extra depth, fillets elevate the overall presentation and draw the eye toward your artwork. They’re a refined detail that makes a frame feel truly custom.

Our Frame Styles and Finishes

We carry a wide range of frame mouldings to help you find the right look for your space and your piece. Whether you're after a natural wood finish, a bold black gallery frame, or something rustic and weathered, we’ve got options to match your vision.

• Natural woods: Maple, Walnut, Oak with hand-finished textures, Koa, burlwoods and olive wood veneers

• Painted frames: Matte black, white, espresso, and custom colors and tints

• Weathered finishes: Driftwood gray, rustic white, distressed walnut

• Thin profiles: Ideal for modern photography and minimal displays

• Deep shadow boxes: Built for objects and recessed artwork

• Floater frames: A popular option for stretched canvas and acrylic pieces

Custom Sizes & Unique Projects Welcome

No two pieces are exactly alike, and your frame shouldn't be either. We create custom-sized frames for artwork that’s oversized, unusually shaped, or delicate. If it means something to you, we’ll find a way to frame it beautifully.

• Odd sizes? We cut everything in-house, down to the sixteenth of an inch.

• Need depth? Our shadow boxes and float mounts create visual space and protection.

• Want a collection framed? We help with multi-piece layouts and collages too.

• Old frame damaged? We offer frame repair and glass replacement for past projects.

Whether you're framing a large canvas, a small keepsake, or something that doesn't fit in a standard box, we’ll work with you to make it right.

Our Simple 3-Step Process

Getting your piece professionally framed should be easy. Here’s how we make it simple from start to finish:

Step 1: Design Together

Bring in your piece and meet with a designer. We’ll help you choose the perfect frame, matting, and glass, tailored to your style, space, and budget.

Step 2: Build In-House

Once approved, we handcraft your frame right here in our San Marcos studio using conservation-grade materials and expert techniques.

Step 3: Pick Up and Enjoy

We’ll let you know as soon as it’s ready. Your finished frame will be ready to hang and built to last. Just stop by so we can start the process.

Turnaround Times and Delivery Options

Most custom framing projects are ready in 2 to 3 weeks. If your piece is large, delicate, or especially complex, we’ll give you a clear timeline up front.

Need it sooner? Just let us know. We’ll do our best to accommodate rush orders or tight deadlines.

For oversized, heavy, or fragile pieces, we can also recommend trusted local delivery and installation professionals to help you get it safely on the wall.