I just bought a bunch of frames at Photograph and Frame on Chestnut street. They have so many styles of frames and pre-cut mats. My suggestion would be to bring everything you want to frame to the store and let the salesperson help you. That's what I did and I was very happy with the results!You could either frame everything with pre-fab materials (which is the most cost effective way to go) or have them custom frame your pieces.

If you look at home magazines, see what kind of framing you like, and also I agree with bringing your art/photos to a good shop - I love Framer's Workshop in Berkeley. They have a great selection and are helpful if you need it, but will just let you play around with the stuff if you want.

Not clear: Are you doing this yourself or having a professional framer do it? I use two framers in Washington, D.C., who make suggestions. I bring in the art, describe the decor and color scheme, and we're off. Without them, I'd be clueless! In multiple frame jobs, only one didn't work for me. She offered to reframe it at no charge, but I lived with it.

If you are in Boston, I have a good friend who owns FastFrame in Brookline. http://www.fastframe.com/storeLocations/store.php?id=3731
Hsiu-Lan is a true artist when it comes to framing... has an incredible eye. She has lived all over the world, from France to Monte Carlo, and it shows in her exquisite taste. And best of all, she's ridiculously patient with those of us (me) who are wishy washy. High high recommend to anyone who needs frame + advice. -Clare

I tend to use black frames throughout my house, which helps to keep a uniform look. I then change the frame material or matting to fit the room.

think about colors in the image that you'd like to highlight or play off of. you wouldn't believe how many off-white mats there are - you can pick a pinkish one or greenish one or whatever to complement the image. i also like the effect of a brighter mat underneath the white one, peeking out at the opening (only if the image is strong enough to hold its own, though). the custom frame shop in my town sells "readymade" frames made from leftover moulding (the frame material) - their policy is to price them at 50% of the custom framing cost. something like that can be especially helpful if you are mostly framing smaller items. as for bigger pictures, i usually use target frames - their frames are solid and look much more expensive than they actually are (ie, they look like a quality product rather than a frame you bought at cvs). for the biggest images i wait until michael's has a 40% off sale or use the coupons.... they have a better selection of large frames than target, and it's pretty easy to get them for way less than the shelf price.

custom framing definitely looks the best and lasts the longest (and benefits from a pro giving advice - seriously, the custom framer's JOB is to help you pick something out), but it is way pricier. like, WAY pricer. you can also go in and say you're looking for an estimate and see what they have to say re: mats and frames. if you don't like their suggestions, just go somewhere else and start over.

you can replicate a look with readymade frames & mats (dick blick has a really good selection of mats, michael's has a pretty good range too), or just try to stick to a similar color palette (mine is black frames with ivory mats, with a gold touches on a few of the frames). obvy, neutral-ish colors will go with most artwork.

hope that helps!! and, yes i did work at a custom frame shop...!

Find a good framer. We have a lot of framed art and have done it over time but always with the help of a good framer. They can give you great ideas, lots of options, and usually aren't as expensive as you might think. We just do a piece or two at a time and have amassed quite a collection over the years