With so many options to choose from, selecting a type of print for your art display can be more difficult than you may think. Two of the most common options for displaying artwork or photographs include canvas prints and framed pieces. However, these styles are very distinct, which can make it difficult to choose between the two. If you’re feeling stuck, here is a guide on how to choose between canvas and framed prints.
Benefits of Canvas Prints
When choosing between hanging decor, one of the best strategies to help you choose is comparing the pros and cons of each option. Let’s start by examining the advantages of choosing canvas prints.
Canvas is one of the most durable print materials available, and it features many resistances to wear and tear. This means canvas prints are incredibly long lasting and won’t easily fade, tear, or bleed. Canvas is also water resistant and safe to place in environments with high humidity, which makes canvas pieces perfect for displaying in bathrooms and humid climates. This type of print also has a textured surface, which adds to the depth of your artwork or photograph and minimizes glare.
Because canvases are often frameless, they are also much lighter than framed photos and prints, making them easier to hang and transport. With the right printing service, you can create large-scale custom canvas boards to easily create a focal wall in your space. Furthermore, the lightweight aspect of canvas makes it easy to switch out prints whenever you want to rearrange or update your decor.
Disadvantages of Canvas Prints
While canvas has many benefits, there are also a few drawbacks to note. While it is highly resistant to wear and tear, canvas is not impervious to damage. You can still tear and scratch its surface, so consider where you hang it wisely. It’s best to hang canvas prints high on your wall or above furniture, where it would be more difficult to bump or scratch them. The lack of frame can leave your canvas prints vulnerable to damage like this, so keep this in mind while displaying them.
Benefits of Framed Prints
Framed prints have their own benefits to consider. If you’re a fan of traditional aesthetics for your home decor, framed prints could be the best option for you. You can choose any type of frame to fit your interior design choices. While framed prints might not have as much size variation as canvas prints, frames do come in various sizes, shapes, and designs. Instead of creating a focal wall with one large print, you can use several smaller frames to create a wall collage.
Depending on the type of print paper you choose to frame, you can also capture advanced detail in framed prints. For example, with fine art paper prints, you won’t lose details of the piece in the paper’s material if you use a high enough resolution and size your print properly.
Disadvantages of Framed Prints
There are some downsides to choosing framed prints to consider as well. Even streak-free glass frames will cause glares and catch sunlight at the wrong angles. Glares can distract from the framed image, so you may need to adjust where you place your frame in a room to avoid glares. Additionally, the larger you size your framed prints, the heavier and bulkier they will be. This can make them difficult to hang and also limits where you can place them. Finally, you can’t always easily find frames in certain sizes, meaning you may have to pay extra to receive custom frames and mats to hang your art prints.
How To Choose: Canvas or Framed Prints?
Examining the pros and cons of each print type can help you make an informed decision, but there are other factors that can help you choose as well. For example, consider the environment where you want to hang your prints. Do you have lots of wall space to work with? What kind of interior design aesthetic do you want to achieve in the room? Asking yourself questions like these can help you picture one style or the other in your space. For example, canvas prints make excellent additions to minimalist spaces because you don’t need to worry about color matching or other decor distracting from the art piece.
Alternatively, if you want to display photos of your family or memories in a more traditional style, consider choosing glossy photo prints and displaying them in matching frames. A simple framed photo is a decorative item that will never go out of style. Choose frames that are as ornate or as simple as you desire. Just remember to consider your room’s dimensions and overall style to avoid choosing a frame that clashes with your current design choices.
Can You Frame a Canvas Print?
If you’re completely torn between the two styles, you could always consider ordering a specialty frame for a canvas print. This combination provides the elegance of a framed print with the texture and quality of a canvas piece.
Wrapped canvases can be difficult to frame and require deeper edges and spacers to border the piece. Foam-mounted and loose canvas styles are thinner, making them easier to frame and more suitable to standard frame sizes and thicknesses.
Where To Order Prints
Whether you choose to hang canvas prints or order custom frames for your pieces, you’ll need somewhere to source your prints. At the Stackhouse, you can find a wide print-material selection, including everything from canvas prints to fine art prints. Our gallery-wrapped canvas prints are ready to hang directly on your wall, while fine art pieces or photographs are prime materials for framing. We offer custom giclee canvas printing and more to provide high-quality and professional prints for selling, displaying in galleries, or hanging in your home.
When it comes to choosing between canvas and framed prints, the final choice boils down to personal preference. If you prefer the simple look of a canvas over an ornate frame, choose the canvas piece. If you prefer the aesthetic intrigue frames can provide, choose framed prints. Consider your personal aesthetic preferences and the design choices you’ve already made at home. And remember—no matter which option you choose, you can find a wide selection of print styles at The Stackhouse. Browse our custom printing options to find the giclee print that best suits your style!
