The Quality Makers: Susan Tynan of Framebridge

If you were to introduce Framebridge to someone that has no idea what it is, how would you do so?

Framebridge makes custom picture framing delightful. It's our hope that people are inspired to frame more often because we have made it easier, brought a curated selection of styles, implemented transparent pricing and delivered fast turnarounds. Based on what people frame every day, we see the most beautiful things, the most meaningful things, the most clever things, the most special things. But traditional custom framing was really confusing and hard to approach for many. They didn't know where to go or what to expect. So we decided to create a brand built around the modern customer – they’re the ones who bring our frames to life, so this is our way of making sure there’s an appreciation for what matters to people. 

Tell me about the name as well. How did you come up with that?

Actually a friend of mine, Emily, came up with the name. We were sending ideas back and forth for months while I was building the brand. The name has this duality to it: first, it’s actually just literal – the bridge to the wall. We felt like people had wonderful treasures they wanted to frame but they didn't know how and so we wanted to help in that process. But we also thought it sounded like a beautiful town where there's pride in craftsmanship. And we employ hundreds of craftspeople. We make things by hand. So in making the ‘b’ lowercase, we were hoping to embody this mythical but also really beautiful place.

What sparked your interest to start this company? What led you to the framing world? 

I had a personal, but rather negative, experience getting national park posters framed. I had collected these vintage looking posters on trips with my sister, and I thought they would be fun to frame and hang in my apartment. I brought them to a premium store and they told me each would cost $400 to be framed. So not only were the expenses outrageous, but the consultation was confusing. I ended up with these colored metal frames that I didn't even like, the whole process took a really long time, and mostly I felt that I was being upsold the whole time. I remember thinking, “I'm never doing that again.” So later, when I went on a trip to Morocco and saw a textile that I loved, I thought, “Oh no, you can't buy anything that needs to be framed.” And that really got me thinking – how sad it is that I wouldn’t buy something just because I don’t want to get it framed? I also wondered if others had had similar experiences.

So I started talking to everyone I knew, and the same two things came up in every conversation. One: people were so surprised at the experience, mainly the lack of transparency around the costs. And two: people were so proud of what they were getting framed. That made me realize what a special business this is. We really believe that if you surround yourself with things that tell your story, things that are highlights of your life, from deeply sentimental parts of your personal history and inside jokes, to accomplishments and unforgettable moments, you’ll live a happier life. You’ll feel more inspired to build those things into your life. I always say framing is almost like a gratitude journal. We're preserving and commemorating these things and moments that are so important to people. And so we wanted to make every aspect of the framing experience delightful.

What is the customization process like? Walk me through the ease of it all.

Customers frame with us in a few ways. They either visit our website or they go to one of our 21 retail stores. And they can have two types of art. They either have a digital photo that they could upload or they have a piece of art, including artifacts, like books and maps, Marathon bibs, baby clothes, restaurant menus, and more. So in the case of shopping online, they're going to upload a photo of what they're framing, choose a frame by checking out our styles, then we’ll send them prepaid packaging so they can send us their art, we frame it and then we’ll send it back to them. In our stores, people come in with their art and we help them design a finished frame. Our associates have iPads so they can see what it looks like finished, and customers can also touch/feel the materials. We really make those consultations as fast as you need it to be because you're going to a Pilates class or as long as you want it because you're really designing a gallery wall on a specific wallpaper in your home. It takes about a week to frame it and we either ship it straight to your door or you can pick it up in the store. 

It’s important that our team really has experience across the arts. Everybody is really well trained in our curated selection, which is very intentional. I would proudly stand up and tell you why we offer every single frame style we have. We invest a lot in our collections so that it's a tight assortment, under 100 frames, and each one truly serves a purpose. 

Where does new inspiration come from in terms of your designs?

Travel, always. And antique shops because there's a lot of beautiful designs in vintage frames. But we take a lot of inspiration from current interior design trends in furniture. The core of our brand is about commemoration, but we also are very much in service of people getting the look they want and designing their house. We hear from a lot of customers that framing is part of making a home or being an adult! There is really something about the treatment of framing that respects an artist and their work and we love to honor that.