Many of our made-to-order pieces come in more than one finish, and the choice changes the piece more than people expect. The same seascape as a gallery wrap feels like a window; behind glass with a white mat it feels like a photograph in a gallery. Neither is better. One will suit your room better.
Here are the finishes you'll meet on our product pages, and how I choose between them.
What is a framed canvas?
The image is printed on canvas, stretched, and set in a floating frame: a frame with a small gap between its inside edge and the canvas, so the canvas looks as if it's floating inside it. There's no glass, so the surface texture catches the light and nothing reflects.
It's the finish I recommend most. It has the finish of a frame without any glare, it's lighter than glass of the same size, and there's nothing to break. It suits living rooms, bedrooms and any wall opposite a window.
What is a gallery wrap?
The canvas is wrapped round a deep wooden stretcher, so the image continues around the edges, and it hangs with no frame at all. With no border to stop your eye, a gallery wrap reads as the largest version of an image: if you're between two sizes, a gallery wrap at the smaller size can feel like the larger one.
It suits modern, pared-back rooms and very large pieces. Because the edges show, it looks best hung on its own rather than in a tight group with framed pieces.
What is a glass framed print?
The image is printed on fine-art paper with archival pigment inks, matted if you choose a mat, and framed behind glass in the moulding named on the product page. The glass keeps dust and fingers off the paper and gives the crispest, most finished look of the three.
Two things to know. Glass reflects: opposite a bright window or under a strong ceiling light, you'll see the room in it at certain angles. And glass is heavy, which matters for hanging: see how to hang heavy art. In a child's room I'd skip glass entirely; the nursery guide explains why.
Which finish suits which room?
- A sunny living room, or a wall opposite a window: framed canvas or gallery wrap. No glare at any time of day.
- A bedroom, above the bed: framed canvas. Light, nothing to break, and it reads softly.
- A hallway or a study, seen up close: a glass framed print. Its crispness rewards the close look, and the glass protects it from passing hands and coats brushing by.
- A nursery or kids' room: canvas, no glass.
- A gallery wall: pick one family and stick to it. All glass framed, or all canvas, looks more deliberate than a mix.
- A very large wall: a gallery wrap gives the most image for the size.
Does the finish change the size?
The size on our product pages is always the outside of the piece, frame included, because that's the number that has to fit your wall. But a mat takes up part of that size: a glass framed print with a wide mat shows a smaller image than a gallery wrap of the same outside size. If you want the image itself to be big, choose canvas or no mat.
Next step
Each product page lists the finishes a piece comes in, with the price of each before you add it to your cart. Try two finishes side by side on your wall in Your Blank Wall, or read about every medium up close on Our finishes.
Questions we get asked
All of ours are printed with archival pigment inks, which hold their colour for decades indoors out of direct sun. Glass protects paper from dust and touch; canvas has no glass to break. Care for each is on Our finishes and in the care guide.
Within 24 hours of placing a made-to-order order you can cancel it and order the finish you want. After that, the piece is already being made. Made to order, explained covers the timing.
No. Ready-to-ship pieces come in the size and frame shown, and the product page describes how each one is finished.