Today we thought we would show you the picture framing version of "the little black dress". The little black dress, sometimes just known in the clothing industry as LBD, is the most common staple of women's attire and is intended to be long-lasting, versatile, affordable, accessible to the widest market possible, and neutral in color. In our framing example you are looking at a traditional inch-and-a-half black frame. It is as appropriate on an original watercolor landscape, a college diploma, a movie poster, or an old photograph as it is on this pen and ink drawing of an old home in Minneapolis.
The LBD is designed to be dressed up or down using accessories, depending on the occasion. The same applies to the classic black frame. In our example, notice the generous grey mat. While a mat has a number of functions, one is to push the frame away from the image so the viewer focuses on the picture rather than first seeing the frame. This design uses just one mat but, unlike most mats, it has a black core that creates a black bevel on the inner edge creating a boundary between the picture and the mat. The black accent also creates a visually pleasing balance with the black frame.
Just as choosing the right accessories is important to match the little black dress to an occasion, so is choosing the right accessories for pairing the classic black to a picture.
For more examples of unique framing ideas you can visit the examples page on my website at www.fastframelakeville.com. Happy decorating!
