Choosing a frame sounds simple until you're standing in front of your favourite print, wondering why nothing looks right. The image is perfect. The wall is ready. But how important is the frame?

Frames do far more than hold artwork in place. They set the tone for the entire piece, and by extension, the room around it. Get the material wrong, and even the most beautiful print can feel out of sync with the rest of your decor.

So, aluminium or wood? Both have their place, but here's how to figure out which one belongs on your wall.

What Wooden Frames Bring to a Room

Before you choose, it helps to understand what each material brings beyond its appearance.

Wooden picture frames are warm and inviting. The natural grain and subtle variation in tone add texture and a sense of permanence to a space. Wood feels handcrafted, grounded, and lived-in, in the best possible way. It suits rooms built around comfort and character.

Metal frame picture frames have a different feel. They're precise and clean, with a refined, low-profile edge that sits quietly without demanding attention. Metal frames come in matte, brushed, or polished finishes, each landing differently depending on the light and the space around them. Aluminium frames are also lightweight and durable, making them a practical choice for most wall types.

Both speak different design languages, and the right choice depends on what you’re already working with.

Wooden Picture Frames: Which Interiors Work Best?

Wood works best when a room already has some warmth to build on. Think natural textures, layered tones, and spaces that prioritise comfort. These are the styles that suit a wooden frame best. 

Scandi and Japandi Interiors

Both aesthetics celebrate natural materials, restraint, and warmth. A pale oak or natural wood frame fits here with minimal effort.

Cottagecore and Rustic Spaces

Exposed beams, linen textiles, botanical prints: wooden picture frames work great here. The more visible the wood grain, the better.

Traditional and Heritage-Style Rooms

Classic interiors lean into craftsmanship, and a well-made wood frame reinforces that sense of quality and history.

Maximalist Gallery Walls

Mixing frame sizes, styles, and finishes is the whole point of a maximalist gallery wall, and wooden frames in varying tones layer beautifully without looking chaotic.
If you're working with a Scandi or nature-inspired scheme, our oak wood style frames are worth exploring. For something with a little more depth, the dark oak range brings richness to neutral or earthy palettes.

Matching Metallic Photo Frames to Your Interior Style

Metal frames tell a different story. Here's where aluminium and metallic finishes really come into their own.

Minimalist and Contemporary Interiors

Clean lines, uncluttered surfaces, carefully chosen pieces: metal frames sit within this aesthetic without disrupting it.

Industrial Spaces

Raw brick, exposed pipework, concrete floors: metal frames feel right at home here. A brushed aluminium picture frame echoes the room's existing materials.

Mid-Century Modern Schemes

This style has always embraced the relationship between materials and function. Slim metal picture frames beautifully complement the era's graphic prints and architectural shapes.

Monochrome Rooms

Single-colour schemes thrive on texture and tonal variation. With the right lighting, a metallic photo frame introduces a subtle sheen that adds dimension without breaking the palette.

Can You Mix Frame Types?

Absolutely, and increasingly, the most interesting interiors do exactly that. A gallery wall combining frames in oak tones with a couple of clean aluminium frames creates a layered, curated feel that's harder to achieve with a single material throughout.

The key is finding a thread that connects them: keep consistent colour palettes, repeat key sizes, or intentionally contrast frame materials in a way that links them visually. Place frames with similar visual weight near each other, or group metal and wood to highlight a theme. This approach makes the blend feel thoughtful and personal, giving your wall a sense of cohesion.

Wooden Frame or Metal? Find Your Perfect Match

There's no universal right answer here, and that's genuinely the point. The best frame is the one that makes your print feel at home in your space and ties in with your aesthetic.

Still can’t decide? Explore our full frames collection and see what catches your eye. Sometimes the right frame makes itself known before you've had a chance to overthink it.