Shadowboxes

What is a shadow box picture frame?

A shadow box picture frame differs from a standard picture frame in its deeper interior depth, which accommodates more dimensional art than traditional flat artwork. The recessed interior creates an enclosed display case for memorabilia, keepsakes, flags, multi-layered art or other three-dimensional objects all in a finished picture frame.

What are the most common uses for a shadow box picture frame?

The most common uses for shadow boxes are memorabilia and keepsakes like medals, coins, jewelry, wedding items (such as invitations, garters, pressed flowers, name cards) or baby shoes. Many people often use shadow box picture frames for military flag displays paired with medals, ribbons, photos which are often used in retirement or memorial displays. Sports enthusiasts love using a shadow box frame to display jerseys, ticket stubs, lanyards and keychains together for their teams. Additionally, shadow box frames can be used to display collections of items like shells, rocks, pins, patches, matchboxes. From an artistic perspective shadow box frames can be used to display multi-layered art which require additional depth to add visual interest. The uses for shadow box frames are endless and your creativity is the only limit!

What types of shadow box frames are sold?

We carry two different series of shadow boxes: Elite and Showcase. Our Elite series comes in four different colors and has a usable interior depth of 7/8”. While our Showcase series has three different color options with an interior depth of 1”. Both frames are available in standard size frames with our most popular size being our 11”x14” picture frame and the 16” x 20” picture frame sizes.

How do I choose the appropriate size shadow box frame?

We recommend laying out and arranging your items as you would want them to be placed in your shadow box frame. The process of arranging and rearranging can give you an idea of how much space you will want in your frame and what size to order. Also important is making sure your item depth is within the stated range of our collections (for Elite 7/8” and for Showcase 1”).  Once you’ve laid out your items for framing and measured, the final step is selecting a frame color that either complements your pieces or contrasts with them to add visual interest to the hanging space.

Other Specialty Frames

At FrameUSA we offer some other specialty frames that can be used to frame a number of different items. Our Frame-A-Tee series offers a unique way to showcase jerseys or tee shirts and our Frame An Album is designed specifically for displaying record album covers. You can view our entire collection of specialty picture frames and get creative with their use cases!

We also recommend using our Custom Shop to build your own custom frame and mat.