HAND FINISHED FRAMES
SohoFrames of London makes the highest quality fully bespoke furniture grade contemporary as well as traditional handcrafted and designer carved picture frames. We are proud to introduce this range of beautiful hand-finished frames created and crafted on-site in our 5-story workshop by Master Framers Dylan Hall and Oliver Gaskin. Customised profiles, colours and finishes are also available. Below are some examples of what is possible. All colours and finishes are available on all profiles. All our wood comes from sustainable sources.
Interested in any of our Hand Finished Frames below? For more information please contact us.
Full Selection of Woods
Walnut
Oak
Cherry
Maple
Purple Heart
Tulip
Sapele
Beech
Wenge
*Please note that pictures are for reference only. Wood is a natural product and colour can change from what is shown. Almost all our frames are made from a single length of timber so that the grain flows around the entire frame, though this may not be possible with larger frames. You are welcome to choose the wood yourself from our stock. Please just ask.
Profile Selection
Here are some of the most common frame profiles we make.
We can custom mill almost any frame shape, in any size and in any wood. Just send us a sketch along with details of what you would like. We can also make all the profiles listed below in all woods. Costs would vary depending on wood type. Please contact us for details.
Here are some of the most common frame profiles we make.
We can custom mill almost any frame shape, in any size and in any wood. Just send us a sketch along with details of what you would like. We can also make all the profiles listed below in all woods. Costs would vary depending on wood type. Please contact us for details.
Hand Finished Frames
Solid American Natural Walnut
Here are our most popular walnut profiles shown with a clear soft polish. To give you an idea of the size, far left is 15mm wide x 40mm deep, and far right 17mm x 17mm. We can also French Polish these. Everything is customisable. Bespoke profiles also available. Just contact us for details. Please note that walnut is a natural product and therefore grain pattern and colour can vary throughout the frame.
Solid American Chocolate Walnut
Same profiles but this time with our very own chocolate colouring for when a deeper richer colour is desired.
Solid Black American Walnut
In fact, all the walnut we used is black American walnut, and all of it we source from sustainable plantations. The deep jet colour works great with this wood and is very popular when a classic black frame is required of the very highest quality.
Solid American Mahogany Walnut
The same profiles but this time with a mahogany stain on top of the raw walnut that we then oil polish. As with all our frames, everything is customisable, profile shape, width, depth, sight edge, rebat or frame lip. Please let us know what you would require and we will make it.
Solid American Rose Walnut
Same standard profiles, this time with Rosewood stain and a multi-coat oil polish.
Solid American Mirror Polished Natural Walnut
Same example profiles as the rest in this range, but this time the frame service is polished to a gorgeous luxury mirror finish. And profile size and almost any shape is possible, please just let us know your requirements.
Solid American Polished Mahogany Walnut
When a richer depth of colour is desired. We think this is simply beautiful. As with all the frame examples displayed on our website you are welcome to see them in person in our workshop.
Solid Polished Ash
Here we made the same profile sizes but this time using Ash, which like walnut has a beautiful grain but with a light natural colour. To enhance the grain as much as possible as well as moving the final finish of the wood into the super luxury bracket, we polished them all to a flawless mirror finish. Standard finishes are also available of course.
Solid Limed Ash
This time we take the natural wood and hand rub liming wax deep into the grain, which we then buff to a soft pleasing shine. Liming wax also works well on oak. Occasionally we also lime wax Tulip wood. Any profile size and shape is possible, not just what you see here. Samples in workshop!
Solid Oak Limed
Just so you can see what Oak looks like when finished with liming wax. Oak is more variable in terms of colour and grain pattern than Ash. It also has a deeper grain so the overall effect is quite different. it’s just a question of taste!
Solid Natural Oak
Shows the standard profile range in Oak with a natural wax finish. We customise the natural finishes depending on what the client would like in terms of the degree of shine. If a soft look is desired we would probably use several coats of different clear waxes. If something with a more satin look is wanted then we may use a selection of oils.
Solid Rose Ash
We can’t of course use real Rosewood for sustainability and legal reasons, so we often stain various woods to achieve a similar appearance. Here we present our standard example profiles made from soild Ash with a Rosewood stain, which we then finish with a special selection of oils.
Solid Mahogany Ash
Same as before, solid Ash, but with the deeper and redder colour profile achieved by using a mahogany stain. Finished as always with our special hot oil recipe.
Solid Grey Ash
Grey, and the colour palette surrounding a true grey colour, is very popular, so we developed a stain that we feel works best when applied to Ash wood to give it a subtle grey tint. Best seen in the workshop though.
Solid Jacobean Ash
Jacobean is a very dark brown wax colour that we rub into the grain to make it really stand out, while leaving the rest of the wood a soft and warm natural wood colour. Works well on any profile size and shape. Everything we do here is made to exact specifications, taller, wider, thicker, deeper, rounder, etc, no problem. Please just ask!
Reeded Walnut Frame 30mm x 25mm
We mill this ourselves from an antique design often seen on old engravings and maps. Gold or sliver slips can also be added. We can also increase the size of the profile for larger artworks or mirrors. Custom spraying in a huge variety of colours with mat, satin and gun gloss finishes is also possible.
Solid Japanese Ash
Shown here in the 20 x 30 profile shape. From left to right, Natural with deep polish, Toffee with soft polish, and Black with satin polish. Other profiles, including custom-milled shapes available.
Enhanced Standard Frames Profiles 1
We make these from Tulip and Obeche. They are very similar to the kind of frames you can see on our Standard Frames Range, but here we apply the finish ourselves. This means that perfect corner joints are possible as unlike pre-finished mouldings, we can sand and dress the joint properly in our workshop. We then either spray or stain by hand and finish with a light coat of oil.
Enhanced Standard Frames Profiles 2
The rest of the enhanced selection. These profiles are 20mm x 20mm. The others are 40mm x 40mm and 20mm x 30mm. The profile sizes listed here are the most popular, but we can mill and machine wood to any profile shape and size. Please just ask.
SohoFrames Chocolate Walnut Cushion Frame
This is a really popular profile shape. 45mm x 30mm. We mill these cushions to order from various different wood types. Size can be customised. For larger profiles of this shape please see the walnut cushions on the round frames page.
SohoFrames Natural Walnut Cushion Frame
Same profile dimensions as before, 45mm x 30mm, but this time in natural walnut with an oil polish. We can also make this profile in a raw form as well as from almost any other wood.
SohoFrames Beech Cushion Frame
For a lighter coloured wood of this 45mm x 30mm cushion profile we can use Tulip, Oak or Beech. Beech shown here.
SohoFrames Black Walnut Cushion Frame
One of the most beautiful black and gold picture frame cushions we make. Also available without the gold slip.
SohoFrames Solid Deep Cushion Frame
We can also make these cushion profiles to any width or depth, for example, if framing a stretched canvas a deeper frame is needed. This photo shows the same profile, but milled to have a lot more internal depth. A larger artwork would suit a wider frame, 100mm, or even 150mm. Anything is possible. Samples in our workshop! All woods and colours available.
SohoFrames Light Cushion Brown Woods Frame
This delightful frame was based on another range of pre-made frame profiles made from Obeche wood that we decided to make ourselves as we wanted to improve the quality. We think we did this. Works well with many artworks, but a popular choice for maps. We can add a gold (or indeed silver) slip when desired. As always, any profile size is possible. Please just ask.
SohoFrames Light Cushion Black and White Frame
As can be seen, we also make this moulding in a black and gold version, plain black and also offer custom sprayed colours in either a smooth or a grain-to-show finish, as seen here in white.
Small Oak Cushion
We make these from oak and stain and polish these with different finishes, the most popular shown here. Profile size is 20mm x 20mm. Custom profile sizes are possible too.
Large Hockey Stick
The profile size of this popular picture frame shape is 20mm wide x 30mm deep, and is available in different colours and woods. We can also mill this profile in a larger size too.
Small Hockey Stick
This small hockey stick profile shape is 15mm across the front face x 20mm deep on the side face. We make these ourselves in a variety of finishes. Custom colours, both paint and stain are also possible.
Corner Spline Frames
Corner splines add both strength and decoration to a wooden picture frame. They can be made from the same wood as the actual frame or from a different wood as seen in the photograph. We can make the corner splines larger or smaller and you can have a single spline or multiple splines depending on preference.
CHERRY STEP WITH SPLINE
A gorgeous cherry wood frame with corner spline.
CHERRY SLOPE WITH SPLINE
The sloping surface really shows off the grain of this wood. Profile dimensions can be changed to suit requirements.
Racing Cherry
A delightful profile with a rim on the outer edge. We mill this from cherry wood and then deepen the colour and polish. Profile size is 25mm x 25mm, but any size is available. Colour can also be customised.
Hand-Finished Picture Frames FAQs
What exactly is a hand-finished frame?
Strictly speaking ALL our frames are hand-finished! Every frame is cut from a length of wood, joined, and finished. By hand.
So what is the difference between standard and luxury frames and the frames on this page?
Standard and luxury frame ranges are made from pre-finished 3m long lengths, often imported from specialist Italian manufacturers. The wooden hand-made picture frames on this page start life as plank timber that we mill, sand and polish to order.
Is this why they cost more?
In a word, yes. It is because there are many more processes involved in producing the finished frame, and we feel that their quality and beauty speak for themselves.
I would like a different profile than what is shown here. Can you make that?
We certainly can. The example profiles here are just the most popular shapes and sizes, but we often customise these parameters to suit our clients’ exact specifications.
I would like a frame made in a wood not shown here. Can you source that for me?
As long as the wood you would like is not on the CITES list of prohibited timbers we will do our best to source a particular wood.
The thing is, I would like a frame made in Rosewood or Mahogany. Can you make an exception for me?
The law allows us to repurpose existing wood. For example, if you have an antique shelf or door or school laboratory desk, which were often made from Teak etc, and usually disposed of to make way for a modern refurbishment, then we can repurpose that wood into a frame for you.
Are there any other workarounds you can do?
There are. We often colour walnut (and other sustainable woods) to have the appearance of more “exotic” woods like Mahogany and Rosewood, as pictured on this page.
Where does your wood come from?
We only use timber from sustainable sources, bought from FSC compliant yards. We often go there in person to select the planks by hand and sometimes carry them back on the train to minimise our carbon footprint!
Can I have one of these “hand-finished” frames on a same-day service?
Sometimes we can do this, yes. If the frame finish is a natural wax rather than one that requires staining and polishing, which takes several days due to the drying times involved for the multiple coats needed to get the correct level of finish quality.
What about custom milling? For example, I would like a profile that is not shown on the list?
Of course we can do this, but not usually on a same-day basis.
It’s urgent though, for a special gift.
It’s best to contact us with all the details and we will do our best to meet your deadline. We often work nights and weekends for orders of this nature so possible, yes, but not guaranteed until we know exactly what you need.
Would you consider making one small frame for me in a totally bespoke profile shape?
We love doing this. No problem.
How do I care for these types of wooden picture frames?
Dusting with a clean soft cloth is all they should need.
I have damaged one of these frames when moving. Do I need to order a new one or can you repair?
We can usually repair minor damage and defects to these frames. It does though depend on the precise nature of what needs doing. Best send us a picture for us to look at.
I bought one of these frames but now want to use it to frame a smaller artwork. What can you do?
We can usually reuse the timber to make a smaller frame from a larger frame. We can also make a different mount to go inside and keep the same frame size.
I would like a finish not shown here. Can you do it?
Just let us know what you would like and we will get to work making a sample for you.
What is the typical turnaround time for the frame samples shown on this page?
We say up to 2 weeks. Custom milling can add to this time though. It also depends on how many frames are required. Please contact us with your requirements as we endeavour to meet all deadlines.
Is there a maximum number of frames I can order?
Strictly speaking, no. But turnaround times can increase as we make everything by hand here. Please contact us for details.
