I recently took my second project to Gary. I was pleased with the first small job he'd done for me, so I thought I could trust him with a bigger one. While I'd love to leave a review saying I could recommend him to others and that I'd be using his services again, I just can't. Gary is a master craftsman, but severely lacking in professionalism. I dropped my one of a kind vintage map (worth $220) with him May 2024 and didn't get it back until February 2025. It took me five in-person visits asking for status updates and one threatening phone call to finally get it back. He promised me multiple completion dates each time I dropped in to inquire about when he thought it would be done. Each time I was told a different excuse for why it wasn't ready. Truthfully, after the third visit I thought maybe he had lost it. After the fifth in-person conversation with no indication he was any further along in the process as when I brought it to him, I decided I was done giving him the benefit of the doubt. I called and told him he had a week to finish it and that I was coming to pick it up on Friday regardless of whether or not it was ready. He texted me the Thursday before his one week notice that it was ready for me. I'm still not exactly sure what the hold up was, but I can't help but feel like he had been taking advantage of my kindness and trust for months. Personally, when you have given someone something special/sentimental of yours that may or may not be of high value AND you're paying them $630 to do a job for you, at a minimum I believe they owe you clear communication on the status of that work and execution of promised deadlines. I was so eager to be done with this experience, I quickly paid, grabbed my finally framed item, and got out of there. I write this review not to diminish the quality of his work, but to caution and warn others about the stress you may experience by placing this responsibility into his hands. If you do choose to use his services, my advice would be to get a deadline in writing that you can hold him to, and take immediate and firm action if it is unfulfilled. Personally, I'd just rather avoid working with him again altogether. read more

The last time I saw my very large "save the whales - save the seas" Hundertwasser was at my Holiday party in 2013. (As seen in pics) The two original Manifesto-Art-Prints "Save the Whales" and "Save the Seas" donated by Hundertwasser were handed over to Greenpeace Pacific Southwest and the Jacques Cousteau Society (Norfolk) in December 1982. I bid on it at a Cousteau / National Geographic fundraiser and went home with it in that frame. I was proud to own a piece of my heritage and thrilled to support the Cousteau Society, just as my grandfather had. I can't remember how but I know at some point, I knocked it off the wall moving something in 2014 and recognized it was time to take it to the framer. It needed a new frame, and to be remounted. I have known Gary for a decade, and prior to this I recommended him to everybody. After he had it for almost a year and a half I was preparing to move to Boston, so I gave him six months notice. When I moved I didn't have it. And now 5+ yrs later, I've heard every reason why he can't get it to me: "i've moved," "it's in a warehouse," "I've been out," "I don't have time." I am penning this review to WARN others that they too could loose something they love. Art print format: 59,4 x 84 cm / 33,0" x 23,4" Print: premium 10-colour offset print on 250 g/s qm illustration printing paper Processing: gold an silver glossy-foil embossings read more

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Gary is a consummate professional and a kind soul. Great attention to detail. Reasonable prices too!

Very professional, artists with frames. Highly recommend. Always excited to see the outcome of each framing project. read more

Sounds like I had a similar experience to many others who have left reviews. Gary lost two valuable asian prints of mine three years ago. Instead of owning up to it, he insists "he knows where they are" and continues to promise to mail them. I've been calling periodically for three years and he has still not mailed anything. On top of that, he was rude to my wife who called last week again to check in. Seriously, this guy is not an honest person and I would not recommend using him as a framer. read more

Gary has done a few jobs for me over the years, and they have always been high quality. However, this past December, I brought him two Polaroid pictures that were very important to me, and as far as I can tell, he lost them. He tells me he doesn't know where they are, and he has not returned two phone messages to his business. Gary Taylor lost the valuable pictures that I asked him to frame. I am really sad about this, and I don't know what to do. As a framer, it seems like the one thing you are not supposed to do is lose your clients' property. Until my pictures are returned, I'm going to do everything I can to let people know not to go to this shop. If you care about the thing you are trying to get framed, do not take it to Gary. I don't know how he made it this long as a businessperson with this degree of carelessness. read more

I went to Gary's shop after I tried another one in the area first closer to my home. At the first shop the owner did not want to enlarge the window of a mat that came with a frame purchased at Roam & Board. I would have to buy a new mat from him and was quoted $60 with a turn around of 30 days. The reason I left was really because of the turn around time, thinking it was legit he couldn't enlarge the current mat. Anyway, here comes Gary! He said he could enlarge the mat and said to return in 15 minutes. Upon return the mat was perfectly cut AND he installed a wire across the back of the frame, including giving me the nails. He charged ZERO for all this and I had this taken care of in 15 minutes. I will be back! read more

10/10 for customer service. I will be bringing all future framing to Gary.

I had moisture get into the frame of a valuable picture of mine and cause it to stick to the glass. I brought it to Gary in November asking if he could get it off and frame it, and I acknowledged that damage to the picture was inevitable. Well Gary didn't get to it, ever, despite my going to the store 3 times over the following months to ask about it and each time he said he was working on it and would call when done. He never called..... I finally demanded it back in February. He gave it to me, completely untouched and just laying on his desk. I confronted him about his promises to call and total lack of action or follow up and was told to "F*** off". After reading the reviews here I count myself lucky he didn't lose it. read more

A true artist. Each framing job Gary has done for me has been superb. I can recommend him without question.

I has this really cool 20 x 20 Ork poster (http://orkposters.com/) that I need to have framed. I went to this frame store to check it out. I didn't expect to feel insecure. But, when I entered, I got a strange look from the guy (like I was interrupting. I waited and when I received the "go" proceeded to ask the dude "Do you only do custom frames?" and he (and a family he was working with) kind of looked at me like I was a peasant. Then he asked if what I wanted to frame was a poster. And, I said it was a lithograph and then he suggested something "on the low end," instead of giving me a range like I asked. I showered that morning and I think I used proper English, so not sure why he talked to me that way. Probably because I look so youthful! read more

I went to try and get a small postcard framed, so that it could be seen on both sides. I asked if it could be done by Christmas. He said it couldn't, but soon thereafter. He said he had placed a call to a company who could provide the service. I went to the store personally five times to see how we could get this done. Each time he told me he had called and was waiting on an order, but seemed uninterested in the job and dismissive of my requests each time. By mid-January, I called and asked what the status was. He told me he had yet to call the company for the framing, because it was closed until the new year. I told him that it was now 15 days later. At that point he told me he had no interest in talking to me today and didn't want to do the job. He then hung up on me. He's rude, unprofessional, unreliable and deceptive. His attitude is that he can pick and choose whichever customer he cares about. I was civil and polite throughout, but his hostile attitude was clear from the start. It took over a month and five personal visits for him to tell me that "I don't feel like talking to you today" and hang up. That's the service you can get from this business read more

My husband and I recently brought in two pieces of artwork that hold sentimental value for us. We had done our research prior to going in to see Gary, so we were expecting the amount of work and the corresponding price tag. The product turned out great - really thorough work. However, my main concern is the low level of professionalism exhibited by Gary during our engagement. Keeping in mind that Gary's is a small business, I believe it is reasonable to ask that he be open and communicative about the length of time it will take to deliver a product. Gary quoted us a time frame of 2-3 weeks; we received the frames after 6 weeks. When my husband asked Gary for some kind of compensation or explanation for the extended time frame, the only response he received was - "If you really wanted the frames, you would have called." Again, I don't think it unreasonable to expect a business - small or otherwise- to be professional in setting proper expectations for the work to be done. read more

I have had Gary do a variety of frames over the years, for art, photos and posters. He gives good advice, gets the done well and on time, and his prices are reasonable. You can get a very fancy frame or a relatively cheap one, but short of just buying a pre-fab frame or going to a "frame-it-yourself" operation, not sure what more one could ask. read more

We live around the corner from Gary, and we have taken many items to him to have them framed. He is expensive, but you get what you pay for. If you are looking for advice, I would tell you Gary is who you would take something to that you value and intend to keep for year. It will look great for years, and it will be done properly with quality materials. But you will pay a fair price for the product he produces. If you have something that you don't care so much about, or if you are just framing something to fill wall space, there are cheaper places to have the work done. In sum, framing your child's college degree? Gary's shop. Framing a menu you bought on Ebay because it reminds you of weekends at the beach? Elsewhere. read more

Gary does beautiful work and I have found that even when I go in with an idea of what kind of frame and matting I'd like, it's good to listen to his suggestions, as I usually prefer them. He is pricey, as others have mentioned, but his work is beautiful. And Gary is a friendly person to interact with. I have a huge poster that i pulled of a Roman wall when studying abroad in college. It's of Nelson Mandela's face, commemorating his release from jail. I'd carried it around rolled up for years, and it had gotten kind of fragile. Last year for my birthday my mom splurged and had it framed for me. Gary framed it perfectly, and brought it over and hung it. It's now a gorgeous piece of art with amazing history hanging on our wall. read more

I'm a professional photographer and have successfully referred clients to this local framer. As of recently, a client's personal photos have been lost with no explanation and contact about the matter, which hurts my reputation as well. I've noticed that the business website is down, and I'm concerned about the future of this framing store. Do not trust significant work to this business. read more

This three starts is difficult and I'll tell you why: 1. Gary is great. He knows his products and has a great eye for what will make whatever it is you are framing look amazing. 2. Gary is the greatest salesperson of all time and by the time he is done selling you, you will be amazed that a few frames are going to cost several grand. A previous reviewer made a comment about how there is a wait since he is the only one there. He never rushes through because there is a line, but it makes it EXTREMELY difficult to talk price when there are 5 people waiting to be helped and you want to express your amazement that a simple frame costs $500. You're shamed when you leave without purchasing anything OR you are shamed into buying. I'm of the belief that this industry has VERY high margins and Mr. Gary makes a fine living taking advantage of the fact that most of us know NOTHING about frames and the costs. Then again, he's good and everything you get from him will make you smile, but JESUS F-ing CHRIST... read more

Gary framed a poster for me beautifully--he is nice, knows his stuff, and presents a great product. The final result was beautiful, just expensive! I definitely recommend him, and will be going back to him for other framing jobs. read more

Gary's great. He has a real eye for the aesthetic and will spend a lot of time with you to make sure you end up with something you like. I've walked in before with one idea in my head only to discover he can suggest something even better. His work is archival quality and well executed, so I tend to only bring things to him that are important to me or that I really like; I'd go broke otherwise. He's also busy! You might have to wait a while in the shop while he helps others who were there before you. If you're on a deadline, I'd recommend making a clear agreement with him on when jobs will be finished (this has never been an issue for me). read more

Gary is a great person to do business with! He is a really nice guy, gives great framing advice and delivers a quality product that you know will last a lifetime. He is not going to be the cheapest framer you'll find, but you'll always feel like you got your money's worth. Also, I wanted to respond to Andrew's post above because I am only 24 and I've certainly never been treated badly by Gary. Quite the contrary. He's always been really really helpful. Once I was even trying to figure out how to get my frame home (was heavier/more awkward than I'd thought) without a car and he offered to deliver it for me since I live on his way home. read more

DO NOT SHOP HERE! Total Incompetence!! That is the only way to describe my interaction with Gary Taylor. I bought a replacement piece of glass for my table. Unfortunately, the glass was 1/8 of an inch too long. I had my misgivings about sending back, as the original order took several weeks to receive and I didn't get a price quote before getting the glass, but decided to send back. After three months of Gary being totally unresponsive to my requests for a status update, the glass finally arrived. I was shocked when Gary demanded that I pay additional fee for the new glass. And, then had the audacity to say that I was lucky because the glass was lost by the supplier, so I could have been charged more. Let me repeat. I was lucky because Gary's supplier took three months to admit that they lost my glass!!! Gary needs to look up luck in the dictionary. read more

Congrats to Gary for being City Papers 2009 Best of the City. Gary is my framer. After having used a number of others, I settled on him years ago because his work is very good and he is careful with the work, he provides helpful, informed advice, he will help you work within a budget, and has always been down to earth and friendly. As someone else noted, he's not the cheapest (or the most expensive) but if you're getting a treasured something framed, original or not, you don't want to take risks. read more

I needed a mat cut and Gary did it for me, on the spot, for free. Then we had a conversation about running a small business. That's the kind of personal touch you don't find much anymore. I will definitely be returning here and recommending Gary to others. read more

You can't do better than Gary Taylor. He has now done 5 framings for me including creating a custom mirror, I have a 6th on the way, another custom mirror. He has a vast selection of frames and knows his stock. It's always a good experience, Gary is patient and friendly and cares. The cost shows up on YELP as $$$$ but I think for what you get it's more like $$ and a half. I recommend him to all. JMB Washington, DC read more

Like some of the other folks here, I had a very bad experience with Gary. In brief, it seems that he has a pattern of underestimating how much work he has on his plate, overestimating how much time he has, and regularly makes commitments that he can't keep. I went in for a very humble job. This is a fine frame shop, so I asked first if it was even worth his time. He was incredibly encouraging, said no job was too low, and he didn't judge. He seemed great! Super nice, no ego, chatty. I sang his praises to folks. My initial call was on a Saturday, to see if he could cut a mat for an item that I needed by Friday for a retirement party (it was a gift, to be given that evening). Spoiler: he said no problem, but never started the work and closed early on Friday despite my appointment to pick up the item. I had to go to the retirement party without the gift. Here's what he said he would do and didn't: - Saturday: Said that he would have it done by Friday absolutely no problem. Said he would text or call me Sunday or Monday after checking out my item to see if he could take it off its backing (an idea he suggested; I just wanted the mat, but he convinced me to let him take a closer look at the item). - Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: heard nothing from Gary. Tuesday just before closing I pop in, and he says sorry he's been busy all day today (what about Sunday and Monday then?). I say I can just take it back with me, but he insists that he can get it done by Friday, definitely. I feel pressured but I say ok, and reiterate that I only want to leave it there if it can be done on Friday. - Wednesday, Thursday: heard nothing from Gary. I call Thursday at 5:30, say I'm just up the street and shall I just come and pick up my item because I need it Friday. He again insists that he can definitely finish it Friday, and we schedule that I'll come and pick it up the same time tomorrow, Friday at 5:30. - Friday at 5:30: The store is closed. There is a note saying that he closed early. I can't get in to retrieve my item. I go to the retirement party without the gift. - Saturday: I show up to pick up my item, and he hasn't even started the work. He hasn't taken the item out of the frame to check to see if it can be removed from the backing, he hasn't cut the mat. Nothing. On more tidbit: On the first day I visited, Gary told me and another customer about a big ~$14,000 project he took on this year, and said how he's never do anything like that again. He described how it was such a massive project (framing a single hug item), and it was just too much work to be worth the money he earned. I suppose that should have raised a red flag. Lesson learned. Gary appears to chronically take on too much work, can't get things done, can't manage his time, and makes unreliable commitments. Looking at the other reviews, thank goodness at least that he didn't lose my item. read more

I'd like to echo Melissa B.'s comments. I've been going to Gary since I was 25 and have always been treated in a warm and helpful way, and I have never been disappointed in either the look or the quality of the framing. Gary does tend to be the only one working there, so one does have to wait sometimes to be served, but in exchange you get quality work by a master craftsman. If you want speedy but shoddy, go to the 24 hour place on 18th. read more

Gary Taylor's IS as "good as it gets!" When living in Adams Morgan, Gary framed several oils for us. It goes without saying he has an eye for framing, just look at the plethora of gorgeous choices carried in his shop. His taste, cultivated over 35 years in the business, always and above all compliments the art. I take his advise realizing his expertise will produce a much more artful final product. Framing is always expensive and Gary's quotes were, in general, no more expensive than local competitors. For those who've felt Gary a pressured salesperson or unfriendly, my experience has never been this. And for those who feel his prices are too high, I have found them competitive especially for the quality of work and plethora of beautiful frame choices. Recently Gary took several large paintings off their stretched frames in order for them to be transported on the plane. It was done in less than a day, rolled carefully in protective paper to which he added a more substantial protective box. All paintings, of significant value, arrived in perfect shape. This is a business run by a lovely, honest, reliable person with talent for his profession. I can't say much more, other than for me, there is no reason looking for anyone else. Gary's prices beat 3 other competitors by a football field. And everything about expert framing is found at this address. read more

Gary Taylor does excellent work at a very reasonable price for the quality. I have taken 3 pieces in there and all of them blew me away with the results. This place is definitely not cheap and its not super fast, but I have always been thrilled with the results. read more

Gary is very meticulous about his work and did a very tasteful framing of an old family photo. Although it was a small project he made sure it was right read more

I have brought many items to Gary Taylor for the past 15 years. He has an artist eye and will make your painting or artwork look fabulous. I live now in Navy Yard and still drive to his shop. There is none better. read more

Since moving into the neighborbood I have used Gary several times and have been very pleased with him and his work. Just so you know for years I worked in a fram shop part-time, so I know a bit about framing. I have never told this to Gary. I can just say he has always been very honest about the frames and pricing. Never has he tried to lead me to a frame that would not fit the image because of costs. The end results always have been good. The only negative I have to say is his store is a bit cluttered for my taste. I don't mind the many frames he has to choose from but completed work to be done on the floor always bothers me. I'm sorry you had a bad experience Andrew. We all have bad days. So I hope you will give him another try. read more

Gary has done wonderful work for me and a couple of my friends over the past few years! I went to the shop to have another piece of artwork framed last week and to my surprise was informed he is relocating to 1785 Columbia Rd. After 35 years in the same location I was quite surprised that he was moving but the new location will actually be more convenient and more accessible to most. Gary informed me he wont be open in the new location for another 4-6 weeks. With everything involved in a move like that he still gave me his 100% professional attention and amazing recommendations! Excited to visit him in the new Spot! read more

GARY has framed many things for me over many years.Always very friendly & personable.He has an extremely good eye for color & suggesting just the right mat or frame & always does excellent work with a smile.Now his work is not cheap but for the work it is always fair.He will even custom deliver & install your pieces in your home or office.I only take my framing needs to Gary Taylor.I cannot recomend him any higher,he is the best,without a doubt. read more

I needed to get a picture of my kids framed. I heard from a previous customer about his great work so I went and got my picture done with Mr.Taylor. He was very friendly, super professional and knowledgable. He helped me pick out a frame that fit the picture perfect. I'm super happy with the result and with my experience at this place of business. 100% recommend read more

Gary Taylor does great framing--but only when he feels like it. He currently has two prints and one watercolor belonging to me, and he has had all three for just about a year. I've tried any number of times to get my property back from him and there is always some excuse. I told him again recently that I wanted my property back--and he says that at least one of the prints (and perhaps the other?) is stored offsite and he hasn't been able to locate it to date. I decided some time ago that no framing job, no matter how spectacular, is worth this amount of aggravation! read more

Just moved to the neighbhorhood and went to Gary today for the first time. He helped me as soon as I arrived and showed me a number of interesting options for framing a print I picked up at the Sackler gallery. Prices are about what you'd expect for custom framing. He seemed like a very cool guy and chatted with me about the area for a little while. My frame should be ready in about a week, so if I'm pleased with the results I will definitely be returning. read more

I gave Gary a $1600 framing job in December (three months ago) and paid for half. It's a big piece and part of the deal was that he would deliver it. It took him 2 months to get the framing done and now almost a month more and still no delivery. He doesn't return my phone calls and has broken every promised delivery date he has given me. The only upside is that I have seen a photo of the finished product and it looks great, but absolutely not worth the aggravation. read more

Gary did an EXCELLENT job of framing a large piece for me ... he also did a great job of hanging it up exactly where I wanted it in my house. He's a good communicator, fantastically nice guy, a man of his word and an expert. I would do business with Gary again any time! read more

Service is exceptional! Gary went out of his way to help me get the proper mats for my pieces. Professional and fast work. My pieces look amazing and I'm super happy with them. I would absolutely come back for all my framing needs. read more