Chris Nicholson is a writer and fine-art photographer based in the northeast U.S. He offers decorating tips and sells limited-edition prints through his website, www.NicholsonPrints.com.  As a follow up to my post A Surefire Way to Choose the Right Matting, Chris makes some excellent points about choosing a mat for your custom framed family tree chart.  Chris writes:

Hanging your family tree on the wall turns it into a piece of art — perhaps the most personal art that could adorn a home.

As such, you probably want to treat that tree just as you’d treat an expensive print or painting, by matting and framing it with care and precision. Framing a piece provides protection from the environment, and matting it provides protection from the frame — especially in humid climates, the framed piece can adhere to the glass, causing permanent damage. A mat provides separation, preventing that damage.

Choosing a frame is usually a straight-forward process — matching it to your décor is often as simple as just looking at your furniture for reference. On the other hand, the creative reasons for choosing a mat are not always as conveniently obvious.

When picking a mat for a family tree, your primary goal is to help maintain color continuity and coordination in the room. Effectively, it transitions the color of the tree to the color of the wall.

How much “transition” is needed is an aesthetic decision regulated primarily by your taste and by the circumstances of the space and the piece you’re working with. For example, if your family tree’s appearance and color already coordinate well with the rest of your décor, you might choose to use a mat that is simply white, or that matches or complements the wall. However, if your family tree’s appearance does not match the surrounds, you probably will want to choose a mat color that complements both the décor and the tree, thereby visually drawing the two together.

Some other points to consider:

The color of the mat should be different than the color of the frame, which should be different than the color of the wall. Contrast is good. Think of the mat as part of the art — you want the frame to showcase both.

If your wall is significantly lighter than your family tree or vice versa, then you probably want a mat that splits the difference. For example, if your tree is dense and therefore, as a whole, gives a dark appearance, and you’re hanging it on a white wall, you probably want to use a medium-gray mat.

Core Color

One part of choosing a mat that many people overlook is the color of the core. The core is the inside of the board, which is exposed when the hole is cut. It becomes the element of the mat that lies directly adjacent to the print, so its appearance is important and can be used creatively.

Most cores are either the same color as the mat surface, or they’re white. But many other options are also available. For instance, you can use a blue mat with a white core, or a white mat with a black core, and so on. Choosing a high-contrast combination can create a stunning visual effect. Just be careful that the core color does not introduce a new aesthetic element to the décor. For example, if your décor is dim and understated, then using a dark mat with a bright white core could have a distracting appearance.

The Standards

Just because you have creative options does not mean you need to get fancy with them. When it comes to matting, choosing white and off-white is common for a reason: It works. Remember, a mat provides an area of neutral space between the image and the frame and the décor. White does this well because it coordinates with everything.

In fact, if your family tree is all black on a white background, a perfect mat combination could be white with a black core (a favorite choice among photographers and collectors who exhibit black-and-white images). Not only does the combination provide neutral space and a sharp outline for your family tree, but it also fits in the color scheme of just about any room.

On the other hand, if you have no black or dark gray in your tree, you will probably want to avoid black mats and cores, as then they would detract from — rather than complement —your showpiece.

Work with an Expert

If you have any doubts about choosing a mat, bring your family tree to a local framer and ask his or her opinion. If you can, bring a paint swatch or a photo of the room. Professional framers tend to be excellent judges of matching frames, mats and décor.

Working with a professional will also give you the option of having a frame custom-made for your family tree. Custom frames are generally stronger, provide a tighter seal, and can be cut to the exact proportion of the piece you’re framing.

If you prefer to use a store-bought frame, that’s fine. Plenty of quality frames are available. Then, using a mat will help you fit your family tree into the predetermined sizes of a mass-market frame. Just bring whatever you choose to your framer, who will be happy to make a coordinated mat.