Want to achieve that sleek look you see in the modern home magazines with clear glass picture frames? Why use standard frames when glass picture frames are so much more stylish and interesting?
Clear glass frames can be used in pretty much any space that a standard, more traditional frame can be placed, but clear glass picture frames will add in so much more flair. It’s one of the season’s hottest trends in modern living, and once you set up your glass frame wall, you will see why so many are tossing traditional frames for glass ones.
What is a Clear Glass Picture Frame?
A clear glass picture frame is a frame without any borders, just glass. A clear glass frame can either be solid smooth glass or have some textured areas to the frame to give it an interesting depth perspective.
Clear glass frames can be a whole work of art that will beautifully encase your photo to add intrigue and more emotion to the piece.
More and more people are becoming intrigued by clear glass picture frames due to the versatility of the many designs they come in and just how cool they look once mounted on a wall or placed upon a shelf.
Pros of Clear Glass Picture Frames
- Much more modern design
- Looks stunning as part of a photo wall
- Adds in a different perspective
- Can become an art piece
- Glass frames are trending
- Interesting to look at
Cons of Clear Glass Picture Frames
- Some can be expensive
- Some glass frames are heavy
- May not like all designs
- Maybe too plain for some
How Do You Put Pictures in a Frameless Picture Frame?
Placing a picture inside of a clear glass frame is not much different from placing a picture inside a traditional frame. With clear glass frames, there is usually a clear glass panel instead of a traditional backing inside of a regular frame that is usually cardboard or wood.
To keep the entire frame clear and give it that floating look, the back panel is also glass and will shut back into place. Keep in mind you will have to treat these frames much more delicately than standard frames. But once you see how cool they look in a collage, you’ll be happy taking that extra care to create this new photo space.
Types of Clear Glass Picture Frames
Wall-hung
Wall-hung frames are easy to hang as they can be hung up like a standard frame. These frames usually have a space where they can fit around the head of a nail. Or you can use those hideaway hooks that won’t damage your wall’s paint. With this option, you only need to be sure that the glass frame won’t exceed the weight limit for these hooks that also won’t hurt your wall or paint in the process.
Wall-mounted
Wall-mounted frames are also nice since they run flush with your wall. Hanging up mounted glass frames is a more secure way to keep your frame from falling over or being toppled by a bump. Wall-mounted frames are a safer and sleeker way to create your wall collage and add style with picture frame ideas.
Desktop
Desktop frames come with a sturdy base that they sit upon. These frames present the photo on a pedestal that can be as bulky or discreet as you like. They make so many different kinds of desktop frames you can use around the house or on your home office desk, so you have your choice when it comes to picking out the best one.
How Do I Make a Clear Glass Photo Frame?
There are a few ways to make a clear glass photo frame. But one of the easiest ways is to get a standard picture frame and carefully remove the sides and the backing piece. You will be left with two glass panels that you can use. You can adhere your photo inside the glass panels with clear glue, or by using clear adhesive to glue the sides of the photo frame together. This can be a bit tricky if the glass you are using is very thin.
To make a more decorative clear glass photo frame, you can find two pieces of protective glass and meld them together to create your design. There are also acrylic options if you are unsure about using actual glass that will give you that same sleek look of glass. You can also use this method by adhering to two panes of glass with magnets.
Using this magnet idea, you can also find clear slabs of acrylic that will look just like glass. Simply hollow out the corners of acrylic frames, bevel in a magnet on each corner, and encase your photo or artwork within the panels to create a gorgeous, custom work of art.
This idea is the safer way to go if you are planning on incorporating these types of frames in a high-traffic area of the house, so it won’t matter if they get bumped off a tabletop or counter space.
10 Best Clear Glass Picture Frame Ideas
There are so many great glass frame ideas out there, but these are a few of our absolute favorite finds.
Plaza Picture Frame
This Plaza Picture Frame is a great pick from Wayfair as it has a sleek, contemporary look that will bring in plenty of elegance into your photo collage or act as a classic piece on its own. This frame is sturdy UV glass, so it won’t become discolored or damaged from the sun even when placed in the brightest parts of your home. This frame would work perfectly as part of a collage or would be nice as a standalone desk piece.
Diamond Picture Frame
This Diamond Picture Frame would make the perfect wedding or anniversary gift due to its interesting and elegant design. This frame is a tabletop-mounted frame that contains UV glass so it will last you a lifetime and won’t become discolored. This frame is a perfect way to capture your favorite moment or capture a friend’s or loved one’s favorite moment and gift it as a cherished memory.
Lisa Glass Vertical Layout Picture Frame
This vertical tabletop frame is an ideal glass frame to keep on your desk, mantle, or even living room side table. Due to the clear glass, this frame will easily mesh into any kind of home décor you have and won’t act as a distraction. You can easily display some of your favorite photos or artworks encased in this sturdy frame.
Hakan Crystal Glass Picture Frame
This Hakan Crystal Glass frame would add a gorgeous touch to your home. The interesting woven glass design on this frame will add plenty of subtle intrigue to the design and is the perfect frame to show off some of your favorite family portraits or photos.
This frame is ideal for a modern home and will sit beautifully on a desk, foyer table, or even a side table in your living room. This frame is made of 100 percent crystal glass for an added elegant look.
Katrina Glass Horizontal Layout Picture Frame
This Katrina Glass frame comes in a horizontal layout so you can elegantly showcase your favorite horizontal pictures. This tabletop frame is ideal for displaying photos on a desk or within a shelf. This clear glass frame can also work with specially cut artwork pieces that you can easily preserve behind this thick-cut glass.
Brinleigh Picture Frame
This glass picture frame features an artistic panel setup that is made of high-quality UV light glass that is also crack resistant. Magnets within the corners of this frame allow you to perfectly position your favorite photo without having to use any complicated tools.
You simply lift one panel, place your photo in and seal it with the other panel. The strong magnets keep your photo from sliding around or slipping out of the frame at all. This is a great frame for use in bedrooms and even family rooms.
Signature Picture Frame
This picture frame gives off the allure of floating as two clear panes of glass merge to create this interesting effect. This is a tabletop frame that has a metal stand and top clasp that will secure your glass panels and photo together. This interesting design of this frame brings in plenty of taste and will surely look luxurious wherever you place it within your home.
Wave Picture Frame
This wave picture frame gives you just enough artistic effect to make this frame an interesting piece of art. The delicate wave pattern along the edges of the frame will give the photo a whole new life, bringing in the illusion of soft movement. This horizontal tabletop frame would be perfect to place in a formal dining room or even on a table within a large hallway. It can easily add in some artistic flair in an area that needs it within your home.
Mariana Glass Vertical Layout Picture Frame
This Mariana glass picture frame is a contemporary glass frame that will compliment your whole home décor motif. This sleek glass frame is textured at the edges giving this frame a sleek and modern look. This is a tabletop frame that can hold all kinds of vertical photos or art pieces. The sturdy glass in this frame will hold a precious memory for you in a stylish way.
Kendra Glass Horizontal Layout Picture Frame
This Kendra Glass frame is perfect for showcasing some of your favorite horizontal photos. This frame features glass edges with a glass photo protector inside so your photos will never discolor, become worn out or chip away. This is a great frame that can be used in several different home décor settings. It’s great for a contemporary living room but can also work in a bedroom or traditional sitting room.
How Can I Decorate with Clear Glass Photo Frames?
There are so many great ways to decorate with clear glass photo frames, but these are just a few of our favorites:
Wall collage
Using your photo frames to create a wall collage is one of the most alluring ways to use glass frames. Using multiple sizes, shapes, and textures, your glass frame collage will house some of your favorite family photos or artistic photos in a unique collage.
You can either format your collage to follow a certain shape, like a circle or square, or place your glass frames sporadically, so you have a more of a burst collage than a uniform shape. This idea works best with different-sized photo frames, but you can pick and choose the types of frames that will suit your home the best.
Add battery-powered twinkle lights
Whether you are going with a wall collage, or you want a tabletop collage within your living room, you can’t go wrong by adding in some battery-powered twinkle lights. Because these frames are made of clear glass, the glow from these soft lights will only make your space that much more unique.
The ethereal glow of the lights amid crystal clear glass is likely to stop all your visitors in their tracks to admire the beautiful collection of photos you’ve set out. This is a really neat way to add in some interesting décor without having to spend too much money on fancy wall or shelf lighting. Plus, since these lights usually come with steady or twinkling settings, you can mix it up whenever you feel like it.
Leave empty and use as stylish whiteboard alternatives
Another interesting way to use clear glass frames is by turning them into a sort of whiteboard space. This is an interesting way to keep the family updated as to which errands you are running or keeping track of kid’s sports games, etc.
You can use a clear glass frame just as you would a standard whiteboard. You’d need dry erase markers and a frame that is large enough to be able to write on it. It may seem a bit more on the unusual side, but once put together, it looks cool and will be an interesting focal piece in your hallway or kitchen area.
The Bottom Line on Clear Glass Picture Frames
As you can see, there are so many amazing clear photo frames that you can choose from. You can either buy these frames as a standalone or use them in conjunction to create your very own unique photo collage.
Any of these frames that have textures to them, like the wave frame or the knit frame from Wayfair will give you plenty of class with an added touch of texture. Hopefully, this article has been helpful in your search for your new favorite clear photo frames.
Do you have any experience in using these types of frames? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to comment and share your stories below so that everyone can get some more insight into these stylish types of frames.
And for more home décor inspiration and ideas on how to style your home with picture frames check out our website!