The prosecution: Meera
I’ve been collecting art from all over the world for years, and cheap frames don’t fit or look good
I’ve been living with my boyfriend Raf for a year now, and we’ve been putting off framing our art. I am a writer and Raf is a designer. We don’t struggle financially but we have to budget.
I’m looking after the smaller pieces of decor in our flat, such as cushions, plants and colour schemes, whereas Raf is very handy with making and upcycling furniture that we find in markets. We’re both quite creative and thrifty. But when it comes to spending money on framing art, Raf has this huge block.
I’ve been collecting pieces on my travels for years. Before I met Raf I’d bought paintings in Vietnam, street art in Brazil and other bits online. I’ve suggested taking them to a picture framer and getting them framed professionally, in colours that match our home, but Raf won’t hear of it. He says: “Let’s just get some cheap frames from Ikea and be done with it.”
But those frames won’t fit my art properly and are also limited in style. Custom frames elevate your art and make it look more expensive. Yes, they cost a lot of money, but once it’s done it will last for ever.
Raf says we have more pressing things to tend to in our home, but what’s more pressing than the stuff you have to look at every day? Some of my favourite pieces are in old, cheap frames and others have yet to be put up.
Raf suggested we put up the pieces that are already framed, but I hate the old frames. He also suggested sticking the other pieces to the wall temporarily with Blu-Tack, which I refuse to do. One time he put a landscape of mine that I bought in Costa Rica in this awful antique gold frame he got from work. It didn’t look good – it didn’t fit the art. I took it out and we had a disagreement over it.
Raf works with a lot of carpenters so I suggested he ask them to help him with the framing, but he said he doesn’t want to look “cheap” at work.
We’ve opened a joint account since moving in together. I don’t want to betray Raf’s trust by spending a chunk of the money on framing if he thinks it’s a bad idea, but I am really tempted.
The defence: Raf
Good art speaks for itself, regardless of the frame, and the prices we’ve been quoted are madness
Meera is making me sound like an uncultured swine here, and that’s not the case. I do love and appreciate art, and as a furniture designer I love good craftsmanship. I just think custom framing is expensive for what it is.
Meera has about 12 pieces that she wants to hang up in our home. To get the type of frames she likes, we were quoted £700. For picture frames! It’s madness. Meera says it’s worth it but I disagree. If art is good, it can speak for itself. It doesn’t need fancy frames. Something subtle that fits properly is fine.
I found a gold frame at work recently and surprised Meera by placing one of her pieces in it, but she hated it. Meera said I’d made the artwork look “tacky” and that only custom frames would do. I was just trying to help. I suggested getting frames off Etsy to save money but she insists on getting them all custom designed.
We have been together three years, and this is our first time living together. We’ve put off a lot of decorating due to lack of cash and are doing the urgent bits first. Meera and I are both creative but you learn a lot about each other when you share a space. I didn’t foresee art and interiors being an issue as we pretty much have the same taste in design.
This is more of a finance issue: I think frames are unnecessarily expensive, Meera sees them as a non-negotiable items. She keeps threatening to get them done by withdrawing money from our joint account. I think that’s a bit of a betrayal of trust.
Meera has been on at me to take the pictures into work to get the carpenters to make the frames, but 12 is just too big an ask. They would probably do them for free and I just can’t ask them to do that. It’s a new job and I don’t want to look tight.
Perhaps we can do the frames once we’ve saved up a bit. I’d like to put the art that is already framed up as it is – the frames work fine. The other bits can be Blu-Tacked for now, and wait until we are richer.
The jury of Guardian readers
Should Raf agree with Meera to help make their flat a picture of harmony?
Meera could spend her own money on the framing. The only thing Raf is guilty of is proposing using Blu-Tack for the unframed art – better to keep it off the wall until it has a frame to avoid damaging or marking both the wall and the art.
Dominique, 32
Raf’s suggestion of getting some of the pieces custom-framed now and leaving others until later sounds like a sensible compromise. If Meera disagrees, she should just foot the bill herself.
Jihea, 30
Raf should acknowledge that the frame contributes to the art and is a nice touch. However, the cost of custom-framing these pieces is far too expensive and buying them behind his back would be a betrayal of trust. A compromise could be to use custom mounts, which ensure the art fits in a standard frame.
Andy, 38
£700 is a lot of money and bespoke frames are a luxury. Raf has offered a compromise – spending money on a few bespoke reframings and saving up for others. Meera should accept this middle ground.
Duncan, 52
Meera is being ridiculous. £700 for custom framing is completely unnecessary. That doesn’t mean Ikea frames are acceptable. Come up with a compromise such as using both of your design abilities to do some DIY. Do Ikea with added flair.
Spiky, 23
Now you be the judge
In our online poll, tell us who you think is in the wrong?
The poll closes on Thursday 20 February at 10am GMT
Last week’s results
Isla thinks her brother Jake should take more regular showers. Do you agree with her?
17% of you said yes – Jake is guilty
83% of you said no – Jake is not guilty
