*Psst! This is just an open and honest review. I was not paid or compensated in any way for this post. I just go to Hobby Lobby a lot and finally decided to give custom framing a try!
A few months ago, I finally broke down and bought this fun art print of the Dallas neighborhoods. I’ve been eying it for over 6 months and finally I couldn’t resist anymore so I took it home. None of the frames we already owned fit the print and I knew that I didn’t really want to go for another plain jane frame. I wanted something that complimented the art and popped off of our apartment-mandated beige walls. So, I decided to do something I’d always been curious about and get a custom frame made at my craft mecca, Hobby Lobby.
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I have been a patron of Hobby Lobby for years and years but I have never even inquired about their custom framing services. Custom framing is something grown-ups do. Well, dang it, I am a grown up now!! So, on a Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago, I trekked to the HL with husband in tow to pick out some cool new digs for my pretty new art. Here’s what I got:
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We hung up our new print in the hallway, so pardon the weird light, but I am so in love with the way this turned out. The frame we chose is slightly lighter than the teal used on the print and aged around the edges, so it gives off that hip distressed vibe. And the color of the frame hits my objective of not blending into our walls. Hooray!!
Now, as for the process, it was all fairly easy to accomplish. I just took my print to the back of the store and browsed their fairly extensive collection of custom framing options. The blue one stood out almost immediately and I’m happy to report, it was actually Josh who grabbed it first.
Once we chose our frame (and waited for the person to finish up in front of us), they measured our art and digitally composed a photo of our print with the framing we chose so we could get a clear visual of the final product.Image may be NSFW.
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Next, they went through our options as far as adding glass or not. I chose to move forward without the glass because I like the texture of the frame and art together. I didn’t want the glare from the glass to take away from the art itself, so instead, they recommended that I have the print dry mounted to a piece of foam board that goes inside the frame. This way, the print wouldn’t slouch or get wrinkled over time.
After you chose your frame, matte, and glass options they whisk your art away and give you a claim receipt. Pretty easy-peasy.
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It did take about two full weeks for my frame to be done. Which was a little sad because I really wanted it to be up before our recent home photo shoot, but alas, no such luck.
Now on to the pricing. Our print was 18×20. A pretty standard size, but a little larger than most of the ready-made frames you would see in stores. I will admit that we had a small bout of sticker shock when the associate told us the final price. Our total with framing, dry mounting, and tax was about $72.00. Not cheap by any means. And, honestly, I would advise you to not be fooled by the “always 50% off” promotion on custom frames. If something is always 50% off, it’s really never 50% off, but because it’s marked this way, people perceive more value AND it prevents you from being able to use a coupon on the service. They DID say, however, that you can use those handy 40% off coupons for the dry mounting or the glass, which they deduct at the front registers after you pick up your art.
They covered the back with brown butcher paper and gave us frame “teeth” to hang it by, so we didn’t have to add our own, which is great, because I’m not so awesome at measuring.Image may be NSFW.
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So, yes, overall it was a tad on the costly side, but I ended up loving the finished product so much that I felt justified in the purchase. It is a custom piece and it protects the fun art I bought. I probably wouldn’t recommend that every art piece you buy be custom framed, but for the special ones, it’s a splurge worth going for. Here are a few custom framing bullet points for you, to wrap this puppy up:
- If you’re going through Hobby Lobby, try to avoid weekends and evenings. I know that’s really the only time I can go, but if you can avoid it, do. Usually there is only one person working this counter, and custom framing is not a quick thing, so someone in front of you could add a significant amount of time to your adventure.
- Try out lots of different frames before choosing. They really did have a big variety and sometimes it’s hard to imagine something working until you put it right next to your art. Don’t be afraid to get a little weird while trying to decide.
- Use the coupon where you can, but go in expecting to spend a little bit of money. It’s a custom service, it’s not going to be super cheap.
Have you ever gotten something custom made for your home? What was your experience like? Share below!
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