Shopping in Columbia

The artwork armorists of Framing Palace safeguard masterpieces and mementos with high-quality, custom frames. Master framers meticulously mat a favorite portrait, landscape, or cousin between comfortable backings and glass coatings bound by mouldings culled from a huge selection of colors and materials. Archival matting, conservation clear glass, and acid-free backing protect prized possessions from destructive elements and deconstructive critics. Additionally, tiered frames, multiple matting options, specialty shadow boxes, and canvas-stretching services add three-dimensional character to otherwise existentially barren walls. The experienced art ambassadors tread gently when handling cherished objects, carefully securing artifacts, sports memorabilia, and high-end masterpieces in their decorative denizens.

Since 1959, The Chessler Company has precisely centered photos, artwork, and diplomas in beautiful, custom frames and mattes. Owing to its craftsmanship, the company now receives demand in the wholesale and commercial markets, including federal and state agencies, art galleries, and top-secret supervillain coalitions, but it still maintains a strong retail business for individual projects. The company's large stock of frames and mats also suits challenging framing projects, such as mirrors, heirlooms, and memorabilia. In addition to the framing services, Chessler's professional installers help patrons achieve gallery-quality displays by hanging large or tricky pieces in the home.

Mat About You's framing experts, whose work bedecks the walls of the Ritz Carlton, prepare everything from artwork to sports jerseys for eye-pleasing display. They pop pictures into ready-made frames or craft custom frames from their stock of molding to match patrons’ aesthetic sensibilities. Staffers also nestle keepsakes into 3D shadow boxes, help restore damaged photographs, and tap into museum-quality conservation techniques to preserve historic documents and sports memorabilia, such as the first tennis ball ever repurposed for a game of fetch.

Mat About You also boasts an on-site gallery stocked with potential frame fodder, such as original art, limited edition giclée reproductions, and open-edition prints. Customers can add extra pizzazz to their home decor thanks to the store's boutique collection, which brims with jewelry, furniture, pottery and ceramics, and garden adornments such as model solar systems to erect around sunflowers.

Bunched together in a vase of clear glass, freshly cut stems support the blossoms of fuchsia roses, pink carnations, and white daisies. A wicker basket brims with orange Asiatic lilies and purple asters, its weight anchoring a Mylar balloon emblazoned with the words "Happy Birthday."

These are just two of the sights that rank as commonplace within the polychromatic confines of Wilhide's Unique Flowers & Gifts, a shop that specializes in celebrating special occasions with bouquets and gourmet food baskets. Wilhide’s florists take care while crafting their bouquets to ensure that each stem has a pristine bloom and each petal is fitted with a dapper top hat.

With help from the store mascot, Spike the Chihuahua, co-founders Scott Wable and Josh Dunkin use their fashion and design expertise to pair Jean Pool patrons with their ideal boutique denim. The selection—which won the Best Denim award from Baltimore Magazine in 2012—includes styles for men and women from brands such as J Brand, Joe’s Jeans, Hudson, and 7 For All Mankind, whose hemlines span from skinny to flare. In-store alterations ensure jeans fit every curve and vestigial tail, and accessories such as belts, tops, and jewelry help complete each new look.

FastFrame outlines photographs and wall-worthy art with more than 1,000 frames in styles ranging from baroque gold trims to funky, contemporary schemes. Dedicated to craftsmanship and creativity, professional framers help select matting hues to complement a diploma or the original Bill of Rights banning knuckle cracking. All projects are completed onsite, ensuring that no materials get dented or lost by clumsy carrier pigeons, and clients can return any custom designs for complete retooling within 30 days if they don't match homes' décor.