LE FRAME SHOPPE'S POLAR BEAR CHALLENGE

​Clients often come to us with framing challenges that we are thrilled to take on and add to our framing list of OMG outstanding jobs! We love to come up with creative solutions that look amazing and meet their needs. This challenge was no exception.

Mission: Recently a good client of ours came in with something she loved but had no idea if or how she could display it. A while back she had attended a charity auction event benefiting wildlife preservation and had purchased a photo in support of the cause. It was an 8 x 12 glossy shot of a very handsome polar bear.
 
Challenge: So, what was the problem? Seems simple enough? Well…

• It was too small.
• She wanted to hang it in her master bath.
• There is a lot of humidity to contend with in that room.
• All the walls are covered in white ceramic tiles.
• And, oh yeah, she wanted it to hang above the tub.

After turning the knob up to 10 on my thinking cap, I came up with a plan. Polar Bear challenge….accepted!
 
Step 1: We had the existing photo, photographed and digitized. This allowed our expert to remove the glossy look, color correct and increase its size large enough to fit the space without losing any quality or definition.
 
Step 2: We printed the image on high-end canvas and stretched it over a stretcher bar frame the same way we would with an acrylic or oil painting.
 
Tip: Printing work on canvas is perfect for creating art in a room with high humidity. Paper products behind glass and laminated MDF plaques absorb moisture. Over time they risk warping and at worst even may start to grow mold. Due to its nature, canvas is much more forgiving. It may slacken slightly with the heat and humidity of a bathroom, but then tighten right back up as it dries out.
 
Step 3: Once the canvas was ready we framed it in a very modern styled, bright silver floater frame. The design complimented the blues and whites of the image, tied in perfectly with the taps, faucets, hardware and mirrors, as well as created an attractive visual break between the white ceramic background and the polar bear.
 
Step 4: Instead of the traditional hook and wire hanging system, the piece was suspended from the ceiling, in front of the white ceramic using two small decorative bright silver chains.
 
Step 5: The reveal. Our client was thrilled with the results and so were we! Often, the most rewarding designs are generated from the biggest challenges. Our Polar Bear Challenge was met! (And it was much more fun than jumping into freezing water in the middle of winter!)
 
If you have a framing challenge we’d love to hear from you! Contact us