01
Design consult
Tell us the photo, the room, the story.
Send a sketch, a photo, or a one-line idea. We confirm the size, the orientation, and what kind of frame would suit the wall it’ll hang on — single piece, a pair, or a small series.
Custom Photo Frames · made to order
Frames built for one photo,
not pulled off a shelf.
Every frame we make is a commission. There is no stock, no off-the-shelf sizing, and no catalogue of standard dimensions — you send us the photo and the story, and we design, cut, engrave, and finish a frame around exactly that.
How we build each frame
One frame, one brief, one proof before anything’s cut.
The same five steps run on every commission. The cadence is paced — not rushed — because the proof is the part that makes the finished piece yours.
02
Material selection
Pick the wood — or the metal — together.
Walnut, oak, cherry, maple, birch, ash — each frame is built from the species and finish that fits the photo. A reference of what’s in the shop sits at /materials.
03
Engraving proof
Approve the design before anything gets cut.
A digital proof with the photo positioned, the engraving tuned to the substrate, and the caption typeset. Nothing leaves the bench until you’ve signed it off.
04
Build + finish
CNC-cut, laser-engraved, hand-finished.
The frame is routed on the self-built CNC mill, engraved on the CO₂ laser, and finished by hand at the bench. Times vary with material and finish choice — we quote from the brief.
05
Pack + ship
Packed at the bench, on its way to its wall.
The finished piece leaves the shop wrapped and packed from our Atlantic Canada bench. Most builds ship within two to three weeks of proof approval.
What you receive
Built around one photo, sized to fit it.
The brief is the spec. We translate it into a frame that suits the photo, the wall, and the way it’ll be read in the room — not a generic size pulled from a row of identical stock frames.
Each frame is a single commission.
We don’t carry stock. Every frame is cut, engraved, and finished for one specific brief — the photo, the caption, the dimensions, and the finish are yours to choose.
Sized to your photo, not the catalogue.
Bring a 4×6, an 8×10, a panoramic print, or a square Instagram export — the frame is built to the photo’s aspect ratio, with a mat border you choose.
Words and marks go on the wood, not just the photo.
A caption, a date, a name, a small motif — engraved into the frame itself. The CO₂ laser reads the grain and the finish, and the depth is tuned per species.
Order a pair, a set, or a wedding-party run.
A single piece is the usual starting point, but pairs and small series for weddings, anniversaries, and family walls are the same workflow — bought as one commission.
The woods, metals, stains, and finishes the workshop works with are listed on the materials & finishes reference. Skim it before the brief — it makes the species and finish choices easier to pick from and confirms your substrate is in the shop.
Ready to design yours?
Send the brief and the workshop replies within a working day.
Send a photo, a one-line idea, or a sketch. We confirm feasibility, materials, timeline, and pricing in plain language — and only after you’ve approved the proof does anything get cut.
Send the brief →
The brief goes straight to the workshop inbox. Most replies take a working day.