Everybody’s got art stashed away, collecting dust, waiting to be framed. Under the bed, way back there in the whatnot closet, down in the basement. Cool prints still rolled up in the shipping tubes they came in. Canvases bought at some funky little art fair you stopped by during that vacation in wine country, and you bought that weird little painting because you were buzzed on the splendor of the vacation mindset, not to mention the wine.

And what about your busted frames? Or the crummy, cheap, outdated ones that you got when you were 25 and poor and knew no better anyway? Those need to be replaced. And the other stuff, the forgotten art, all that needs to be framed. Trust me. I know.  I work part time at an excellent little art and framing store in the neighborhood, KC Arts on Court Street in Brooklyn. The framing staff there knows their stuff. So here we go with part one in a five part series called Tips from Framers.

Ray’s been plying the trade for nearly 20 years, and he has two good pieces of advice for you. 

1. Find an experienced, reputable framer.

2. Be prepared to spend some money.

See, unlike electricians or, you know, doctors, framers aren’t formally schooled or certified or anything like that. It’s a skill, and the best framers have years of practice under their belts. Ask around. Do your homework. Find someone who’s been at it a fair amount of time, and when you feel good about someone, trust them to do the job. Because this is an investment. Which brings us to the cost.

Good framing is not cheap. As much as we civilians would like it to be, and as inexpensively as you can buy a ready-made frame from CostCo or Ikea, a professionally-assembled, well-made frame takes time and money. You can choose top-quality moldings to your exact specifications, not having to settle between the cheap teak or chintzy black metal options of off-the-shelf models. You’ll get the right look, color, width and tone to make your piece shine and work with your decor. And you won’t have to wing it alone. An experienced framer will walk you through the process and get it right. You’ll feel great about the results every single day you see your art up on your walls. Pro-rate that expense over the next decade or five that you will enjoy your art—up on the wall, where it should be—and you have a good investment. It’ll be worth it.

Frame your forgotten, broken, stashed-away art! You will love it. It will make your life better. Trust me. Here’s my living room: