If the idea of building a gallery wall exhausts you, we have that in common. The entire process — from collecting and framing the art to executing the installation — felt overwhelming when I attempted it on my own. It wasn't until Simply Framed [1] asked me to try its new Print & Frame [2] service that I finally got over my gallery-wall phobia.
Here's How the Print & Frame Service Works
- You start by uploading a photo from Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, Google Drive, or your computer. From here, you have the option to crop the photo or leave it as is.
- In seconds, Simply Framed analyzes your photo and lets you know what size print would work best, so you don't have to worry about your Instagram photo looking grainy if you select a size that is too big.
- Next, you choose the frame and decide whether or not you want a matte. Its cool virtual tool allows you to see what your photo looks like with all of its framing and matting options through the website. This step is so much fun!
- Once you purchase your framed photo, it's professionally printed on Moab Lasal Photo Matte 230 paper and shipped free of charge along with hanging hardware and instructions. The entire turnaround process only takes five to six days.
What Happens If You Get Stuck
While I found the technical process of uploading images and choosing sizes, framing, and matting really straightforward, I definitely needed some hand holding when it came to making final decisions. This is where Simply Framed's customer service comes in handy. Like at a traditional brick-and-mortar frame shop, I wanted an expert to weigh in on choosing frames that would complement the photos first. Simply Framed CEO and founder Dara Segal insists this is the key to ensuring you love the piece in any room for years to come. Dara suggests skipping a matte for scenic photos you don't want to distract from (like the two ocean pictures I snapped while traveling) and making personal photos smaller. After emailing a photo of my blank wall with dimensions, Dara even helped me come up with a layout for my gallery wall. If you get stuck, you can email, instant message, or enter questions into your order and Simply Framed will respond with advice. They also examine each order, and if they feel a customer made a choice about matting or frame style that they would do differently, they'll give a recommendation as well.
What It Costs
Prices start at $65 for an 8"x10" print and cap at $200 for a 30"x40" print. For sizing context, my two ocean shots without mattes were both 30"x40", my wedding picture was 16"x20", and my two smaller photos were both 11"x11". Considering that the ocean print I purchased at One Kings Lane [3] (top right) retails for $289, the Print & Frame [4] service can be a more affordable way to obtain high-quality, large-scale art.
If creating a gallery wall or just printing and framing some of your favorite photos has long been on your to-do list, Simply Framed could be the solution you've been looking for.