Ruth is almost overwhelmingly helpful in choosing frames and borders that will complement your art…read more She has an obvious passion and talent for what she does. And her pricing is great value compared with other framers I have used over the years.

From the owner: Picture Framing ,Mirrors .Mat cutting, Glass cuttingread more

A special thanks to the team at The Framing Room​ for helping me take a flag from an outstanding…read moreteam adventure and epic memorabilia item then transform it into this awesome long lasting celebration of achievement. I walked into The Framing Room off chance on the way home from work and talked about a few ideas of what I wanted to and they helped guide me through design ideas and choices. The final outcome looks totally fantastic and the whole team is impressed, it has pride of place above our work area so we get to enjoy it every day. Thanks again, will definitely return again to do business and would recommended to anyone looking for framing services. For more details behind the history of the flag see http://www.adaptiv.co.nz/event/high-five-0-challenge/ Regards Nikolai Blackie Adaptiv Integration

I recently made a trip to El Framo because I wanted to find a frame for some old war medals that…read morebelonged to my boyfriend's grandfather. It was his birthday and I'd been meaning to do something special with these medals for some time - framing them seemed like a great idea. I initially got a quote for getting them mounted and framed professionally by El Framo but it was just going to be too expensive. But the staff member was very understanding, and helped me instead hunt for the perfect box frame that I could use to complete the process myself. We then selected an off-cut of backing material (with a felt finish) which she cut to size for me. It was quite expensive for a piece of card ($25 from memory) and then the frame itself was $25, but it still worked out much cheaper than having them mounted by El Framo plus it meant I could do it that afternoon - his birthday was the following day so I didn't have a lot of time! Not the most modern selection of frames, a little motley, but a time and place for this little Ponsonby framers.

These guys are great, worked hard on a really tough job, great result and they worked hard to make…read moreit as cost effective as possible, would totally recommend!!

Yes, they are expensive, but they're GOOD. The owners love art - it's a labour of love for them…read more They love working with you to find the best frame and framing technique for your art. I could spend hours in there talking to them and I totally trust them with the art that we've bought from all over the world. I highly recommend. Also note, they're open every day. Quite often framing is a weekend job, and I love that you can pop in on a Sunday. I did take one star off because they are expensive, and I don't know if that's fair because I'd rather pay them than some chain... Tip: they sell lots of great NZ prints. If you're a tourist, I highly recommend for your piece of Kiwiana to take home.

I was looking for cute kiwi prints to take overseas with me and was recommended Factory Frames by a…read morefriend. I would never have thought to try there, as I assumed it was literally just frames, but I was pleasantly surprised. The Lunn Ave store is large and has loads in it. They have a good selection of framed and unframed art work of different sizes. They have quite a few iconic prints, with a Kiwiana theme but they are also contemporary (not the tacky souvenir kind). The two I chose were $19 each; a cute 'Aroha' one and the Babushka Maori dolls. They will be a nice (but subtle) reminder of home to hang in my lounge.

Factory Frames has a big range of pre-made frames, and prices are keen; they start at $7 for a 5x7…read moresize. That's around the same price as buying a frame from the Red Shed, but here you can get one that is infinitely more stylish, and made in New Zealand. They also have image mats in a variety of colours so you can put together a professional looking package for less than $20. You should know that none of the pre-made frames have hanging attachments, but you can buy a kit from them for $2 ($3 for larger frames). I have also had a couple of items custom framed here with good results. So, where do the points off come from? Unfortunately service can be really erratic; I've had to wait for quite a while to be served here sometimes (like more than 10mins long), and the last time I was two weeks ago I was a little taken aback by some rude comments from one of the staff members; I'm pretty sure he was trying to make a joke but it just didn't come off well! However, for price and quality they can't be beat.

Xpress Stationery is a proper stationery shop; it's not your usual chain store full of one type of…read morepencil or pen. They have things here you won't find in those places (good pastels; patterned papers), as well as a decent range of magazines. They're also helpful if you don't know quite what you'd like, and are happy to spend time with making sure you're getting what you need. Unlike those other chain stores, this place also has a small gallery space; whilst I've never seen any art here I really like, I applaud them for using their space for supporting artists.

Xpress Stationery has items that you can't get in the "mall" shops. The owner is knowledgeable and…read moreif they don't happen to stock what you need, they happily get it in for you. The personalised service is great and the art/craft supplies make gift buying very easy - gets those creative juices flowing.