BoomerGirl Diary

Dear Mi-Ling:

I've been collecting signed and numbered lithographs from New Orleans over the years. When I purchased them, they were already framed in plain, black, metal frames. The frames matched perfectly with the contemporary design I had in my last apartment. However, I recently moved into a new home, and I would like to change out the frames to blend in with a more traditional style.

Can you give me some advice? I don't want to damage the artwork, but I don't think that it blends in well with my new family room furniture.

— Charles

Dear Charles:

I'm a big fan of the New Orleans Jazz Fest and the Mardi Gras lithographs. I started my collection in the late '80s and early '90s. Signed and numbered lithographs that were purchased for $30 to $50 back then now are worth between $150 and $1,200, and sometimes more.

You don't necessarily need to change out the frames to match with your new design style. In my opinion, artwork doesn't have to match your decor — it should reflect something that you like and appreciate for the sake of the art. However, when I look around my home, I tend to buy artwork that features some of my favorite color schemes.

One option is to move the art to another area in your home. Since most of these pieces are colorful and artsy, maybe an upstairs game room or a gallery in your hallway would be a better location to display them.

Whatever you decide avoid placing your prints in direct sunlight. Find a spot that will allow the art to take center stage.

A word of caution: Before you remove the original framing materials, seek advice from a reputable frame shop or art gallery. You should never dry-mount the pieces to a poster board because it will destroy the value of the print. If you decide to matte your pieces, always use acid-free matte boards to avoid yellowing.

Remember, signed and numbered lithographs normally do go up in value, so be careful how you frame them in order to maintain the value and your investment.