How to Frame a Picture with a mount at Home — A Simple Guide to DIY Framing With a Mount

If you've ever bought a print and then left it propped against the wall for six months because the whole framing thing felt a bit overwhelming — this one's for you. Learning how to frame a picture at home is genuinely much simpler than most people think, and the difference it makes to a print is extraordinary. A well-chosen frame with a mount transforms even a simple print into something that looks considered, finished and properly beautiful on your wall.

I recently filmed a short video showing exactly how I frame one of my own earlier watercolour prints — a watercolour of Poole Harbour — and the process is something anyone can do at home with a little patience and the right materials. So here's a straightforward guide to DIY framing that will have your prints looking gallery-worthy in no time.

What you'll need
Before you start, gather your frame, your mount (also called a mat board), your print, and a clean flat surface to work on. When choosing a frame, make sure it's sized to fit the mount rather than the print itself — this is one of the most common mistakes people make when figuring out how to frame a poster or print for the first time. A frame that's too small for a mount, or a mount that's been cut to the wrong size, will make the whole thing look off — so take your time with measurements before you buy anything.

Choosing the right mount
The mount is the border that sits between your print and the frame, and it does more work than people realise. It creates breathing space around the image, draws the eye in, and gives the whole thing a finished, professional quality. For most prints, a white or off-white mount works beautifully — it's clean, timeless and lets the artwork speak for itself. If you want something warmer, a cream mount is lovely, especially for watercolours and more delicate, nature-inspired work.

The width of the mount matters too. As a general rule, a wider mount feels more generous and gallery-like, while a narrower one feels more contemporary and graphic. I'd always err on the side of slightly wider — it tends to look more intentional.

How to frame a print — the steps
Once you have your frame, mount and print, the process of DIY framing is straightforward. Place your mount face down, position your print behind the mount window so it's centred, and secure it with acid-free tape or mounting corners — never regular sticky tape, which can damage the print over time. Place the mounted print into the frame, secure the back, and that's genuinely it. The whole process takes about fifteen minutes once you know what you're doing.

One tip I always give — handle your print as little as possible and always from the edges, especially if it's a fine art print on quality paper. Fingerprints and oils from your hands can affect the surface over time.

If you'd rather leave it to the professionals
Not everyone wants to frame their own prints at home — and that's completely fine! If you'd prefer to hand your print straight to a professional framer, I sell my prints both mounted and unmounted so you can choose whatever works best for you. One thing worth knowing if you're choosing a mounted print — the image size will be slightly smaller than the overall print size to allow for the mount border, so do bear that in mind when choosing your size. If you're ever unsure which option is right for your space, feel free to drop me a message and I'll help you figure it out.

If you'd like to browse the full collection of prints, you can find everything at KateShephardArt.co.uk.