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Classic frame · Oak · Mounted in Fresh Linen · Small (40×55cm)
Gherkin Patterns
Photographed in black and white, this close-up frames the distinctive diamond-pattern glazing of a curved glass tower — recognisably the 30 St Mary Axe building, known as the Gherkin, in the City of London — with a stone-clad office building reflected and visible through its faceted panes. The interplay of bold diagonal steelwork in the foreground and the fragmented, layered façades behind creates a richly geometric composition.
To make choosing easier, every print arrives with a frame style, frame colour and mount already selected: the combination our team feels best complements that particular artwork.
It's simply a considered starting point. Every option is yours to change: adjust the frame, colour, mount or size until it feels right for your piece and your space.
The frame style is the profile of the moulding: its depth and character. It sets the mood before the eye even reaches the art, so choose it to suit both the piece and the room.
- Classic — slim classic profile. A slim, understated moulding. The quiet all-rounder: it frames without competing and flatters almost anything, from photography to abstract. Ideal for modern, minimal and Scandi interiors where you want the art to lead.
- Deep Classic — deep box profile. A deeper box moulding with more presence. Adds a gallery-like sense of occasion and depth, especially on larger prints or a feature wall. Contemporary and confident.
- Swoop — soft curved edge. Gentle and tactile, it warms a room and bridges modern and traditional. Lovely with nature, botanical and organic imagery and relaxed, characterful homes.
- Venice — ornate dual finish. Decorative and characterful, with a traditional, vintage feel. Beautiful with classical, botanical or richly detailed art and period interiors. Choose it when you want the frame to be part of the statement.
Rule of thumb: match the frame's formality to the artwork and the space. A busy image usually prefers a simpler profile; a simple image can carry a more decorative one. When in doubt, Classic rarely puts a foot wrong.
We've already selected the frame, colour and mount we think suit this piece best. This is just a starting point, so change anything to your taste.
The frame colour should support the artwork and your room, never fight them. A well-chosen frame feels inevitable; the wrong one pulls the eye to the edges.
- Take a cue from the print. Echo a tone already in the image: warm woods (Oak, Natural) lift earthy, landscape and botanical work; Black sharpens high-contrast and monochrome pieces; metallics (Gold, Bronze, Antique) enrich warm or classical palettes.
- Neutrals are the safe, timeless choices. Black adds crisp, modern contrast; natural wood adds warmth; White feels light and airy and recedes into pale walls.
- Bold and two-tone finishes (Antique Gold, Black and Pewter, Terracotta and Silver) add richness and character, lovely with the right image, but they draw attention, so use them where you want the frame to be part of the look, not on delicate or minimal pieces.
- Think about the wall and the room, not just the print. The frame is the bridge between the art and your space. Picking up the tone of your woodwork, furniture or a colour already in the room makes it feel intentional. Against a dark or boldly-painted wall, a lighter or warm-wood frame lifts the art off the surface; on a pale wall, black or wood gives welcome definition.
- Mind the light. Warm lamplight flatters wood, gold and warm tones; cooler daylight suits black, white and silver. Glossy and metallic frames can catch glare near a window or spotlight; a matt finish stays calm.
Rule of thumb: a strong or shiny frame draws the eye to the border; a quiet frame keeps attention on the art. When unsure, choose the more restrained option and let the artwork be the hero.
We've already selected the frame, colour and mount we think suit this piece best. This is just a starting point, so change anything to your taste.
Size is about the artwork and the space it lives in. The right scale makes a wall feel considered; the wrong one leaves it feeling empty or crowded.
- Match the piece to the wall and the room. A small frame can feel lost on a large, tall or open wall; an oversized frame can overwhelm a compact space. Big rooms and big walls want a generous piece (or a group); cosy spaces suit smaller, more intimate sizes.
- Small frames in big rooms, only if grouped. A single small print rarely holds a large wall on its own. If you love a smaller size, combine several into a gallery arrangement, pair or trio so they read as one confident statement. And don't crowd a small room with one huge frame. Balance is everything.
- Above furniture: aim for the art to span roughly two-thirds to three-quarters the width of the sofa, bed or console beneath it, and leave a hand's width (about 15–25cm) of breathing space above the furniture.
- Hang at eye level. Centre the piece around 145–150cm from the floor (the gallery standard). For a group, treat the whole arrangement as one block and centre that.
- Consider the background and light. A busy or dark wall needs a bolder, mounted piece to hold its own; a pale, well-lit wall lets a more delicate piece shine. The further back people usually stand (hallways, stairwells, open-plan rooms), the larger you can go.
Rule of thumb: when you're between two sizes, size up. People far more often wish they'd gone bigger than smaller.
A mount (or mat) is a card border between the print and the frame. It's one of the biggest levers on the finished look.
- Mounted: adds breathing room around the image for a calm, gallery-quality finish. It draws the eye inward to the art, makes the piece feel considered and premium, and keeps the print off the glass. The safe, elegant choice for most work, especially detailed or delicate pieces.
- No mount: the image sits closer to the frame for a fuller, edge-to-edge, contemporary look, and feels larger within the same frame. Suits bold, graphic or full-bleed images and modern interiors, and it's a little lower in price.
Rule of thumb: mounts add elegance and space; no-mount adds impact and scale.
Think of the mount as a quiet frame within the frame. Its job is to flatter the artwork and give it room to breathe, not to be noticed.
- Less is more. A soft neutral (White, Snow White or Fresh Linen) is the most timeless choice and creates a clean gallery border that lets the art sing. When unsure, choose a near-white.
- Match the mood, not an exact colour. Warm prints (sand, terracotta, earthy tones) glow against warm neutrals like Fresh Linen and Warm Sand; cool or monochrome prints suit cooler neutrals like Snow White and French Grey.
- Coloured or dark mounts (Olive, Black) make a deliberate statement and can add real drama or a modern edge. Powerful with the right image, but use them sparingly; on a delicate print they can overwhelm or visually shrink the artwork.
- Don't let the mount and frame compete. A reliable, elegant formula is one quiet element and one characterful one: a neutral mount with an expressive frame, or a bolder mount with a simple frame. Rarely both bold at once.
Rule of thumb: choose a mount a touch lighter than the darkest tones in your print. It keeps contrast pleasing, lifts the image, and reads cleanly against most walls and in warm or cool light.
Not sure? We've pre-selected the mount we think works best with this piece. Feel free to keep it or make it your own.
About this work +
Gherkin Patterns by Chris Shepherd. Archival giclée print, framed to order in the UK.
Photographed in black and white, this close-up frames the distinctive diamond-pattern glazing of a curved glass tower — recognisably the 30 St Mary Axe building, known as the Gherkin, in the City of London — with a stone-clad office building reflected and visible through its faceted panes. The interplay of bold diagonal steelwork in the foreground and the fragmented, layered façades behind creates a richly geometric composition.
- Style: architectural black-and-white photography, abstract detail
- Theme: architectural, urban, London
- Colour palette: cool silver, mid and dark grey
- Tone: crisp and high-contrast
- Mood: Evokes the ordered dynamism of a modern financial district — precision and scale made graphic.
- Ideal for: Well-suited to offices, boardrooms, or contemporary urban interiors with an appreciation for modern architecture.
This piece is made to order. Once you've chosen your frame, size and mount, it's printed and hand-framed for you in the UK: a considered alternative to mass-produced, off-the-shelf prints.
Specification +
- Archival giclée print
- Type
- Orientation
- Portrait
- Paper
- 250gsm lustre photographic, semi-gloss
- Artwork
- Framed
- Frame
- Mount
- Glazing
- Hanging
- Tensioned string fixture, ready to hang
- Made in
- United Kingdom
Framing & mounts +
Solid oak or painted hardwood frames, glazed with float glass; 2 mm acrylic on Large and Extra Large. Acid-free, bevel-cut conservation mounts with backing card. "No mount" prints to the frame edge; a mount adds a gallery border in your chosen colour.
Shipping & returns +
UK delivery only. Free UK delivery on every order, typically 5–8 business days.
Made to order, so we can't take change-of-mind returns. If it arrives faulty, damaged or not as described, we'll replace or refund it.
Preview shown for guidance only. On-screen colours and in-room scenes are illustrative; your printed, framed piece may differ slightly in tone, texture and finish.
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