How to Select Mats for Pictures

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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The right mat sets off a picture beautifully, and the wrong mat can ruin it. Here are some tips for selecting mats that will complement your artwork and your decor.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Picture Mats

Step1

Remember that neutral mats such as beige, ivory, taupe and gray are best for nearly all pictures. Neutral mats allow you to move pictures from room to room - and they won't upstage the artwork.

Step2

Limit the use of boldly colored mats to the bottom mat and put a neutral on top. This leaves just a sliver of the bold color showing so that it won't distract from the art.

Step3

Choose a mat color that contrasts with the wall color where the picture will hang. For instance, if the wall is painted antique white, a mat of medium taupe or gray might be a good choice.

Step4

Use a wide mat to set off a picture that will hang against a busy wall. A wallpaper or dramatic faux finish wall covering, for example, would call for a wide mat.

Step5

A mat with a black core, which shows only on the edge of the opening for the picture, is a great choice for charcoal, pen-and-ink and other works executed in black.

Step6

Purchase mats that are acid-free, especially for valuable artwork. The difference in price is usually small, and acid-free mats will not speed the deterioration of artwork.

Step7

Avoid mats with elaborate cuts; they can overwhelm artwork.

Step8

Use a wide mat to lend importance to and focus attention on a small piece of art.

Step9

Use mats of the same color and width to unify a grouping.