Unique frame profiles: Renella original framed in Utrecht Elm

This original artwork by Argentine artist Maxo Renella had been displayed in a gallery in a deep floating frame, with room for the thick paper to drape. The client approached me to recreate this style of frame in Utrecht elm.

Over a few emails, we adapted a technical drawing supplied by the gallery to suit my workshop and the hardware I had available. I build all of my frames to order from solid wood, so I was able to incorporate the alterations at no extra charge over my standard custom-frame price.

Making the profile

I don’t often get requests for elm, and I suspect that’s partly because it isn’t as familiar a furniture wood as oak or walnut. To my eye, its colour leans towards walnut’s darker palette. I had a particularly nice piece in the studio that I was pleased to put to use here.

I planned the cuts to match the grain at all four corners, then joined the frame with half-lap mitres. I liked how substantial these joints looked in the deep profile.

Inside, the artwork would sit on a raised plinth, surrounded by an off-white matboard border. I cut the wooden spacers from the same piece as their corresponding frame rail, so the grain continues visually from the outer frame to the spacers behind the glass.

That continuity is one of the pleasures of making a frame from solid wood. The profile becomes part of a larger arrangement of grain, depth and proportion.

Ready for the artwork

Unusually, I made this frame without ever seeing the artwork in person. The client wanted the frame delivered and to fit the piece themself, so making that final step straightforward became part of the build.

I threaded acid-free hinges through the matboard on the plinth, ready for the client to peel the adhesive tabs and position the artwork. There was a little unscrewing to do first: because this was a longer frame, I had added a support bar to prevent the sides from being drawn inward by the tension of the hanging wire.

The client mounted the artwork themself, and it was lovely to hear that the frame had arrived safely and that the process had gone smoothly. They also wrote:

“The quality of this handmade frame, completely custom-made down to the millimeter, is incredible.

I have quite a bit of experience in craftsmanship, but you can really see that it was made with care.”

Starting a custom moulding

A technical drawing is a useful starting point, but it isn’t necessary. I can measure a frame you already own and would like to match, work from photographs or a sketch, develop the proportions shown in an AI-generated mockup, or begin with a description of what you have in mind.

And don’t feel as though you need to fill in every blank yourself. The custom frame builder is designed to take care of many of the decisions and help you quickly put together a beautiful minimalist frame. If you’re ever unsure—or want something the builder doesn’t cover—send me an email and we can adapt the design to your artwork, the available timber and the practical demands of the finished frame.

As with this project, a custom moulding can often fit within my usual pricing when it doesn’t add significant work or material to the build. Thanks for reading!