Matted

Saw these folks are moving. Maybe it is about time? I ordered a document to be framed several years ago and was promised it within a week. I did not get it until 4 weeks later. When I demanded an explanation, the owner became argumentative while exaggerating her own self-worth in an unusually aggressive manner. A woman like this should not be in business. I have given the owner, Donna many chances to redeem herself. She unfortunately is not always in the store . The store is as messy as it ever was. You would think they would make some changes to attract the ever growing gentrification of LIC. This place simply has no soul. You have to earn it through hard work and honesty. Not recommended for people who care about nice things.

This is the only shop I will trust with my most important pieces of art that deserve a frame. I have enjoyed working with Donna every time. She has been understanding when I have to work on a tight budget and she knows her which frame options to suggest to beautify my art when I can splurge on a very special framing job. Highly recommended.

"Metafair" estate sales is a a division of Matted LIC, and based on Metafair's awful business dealings, poor customer service, and untrustworthy approach. I would avoid them at all costs. I had a terrible experience at one of their estate sales. They way they treated customers was disgusting, including blatant lies. I'm honestly shocked they're in the estate sale business considering how little they know about the items they're handling or selling. Also, it appears that they may hold back items, or overprice items from customers for the sole purpose of keeping the items for themselves to sell in their retail store or online. All around, they are among the least trustworthy people I've ever dealt with. One star is too much.

After waiting 2 years, no joke, we received our frame and it was not what we paid $500 for. When we first went to pick it up before the full 2 years, it was such a bad job that they agreed to fix it, they didn’t debate that it wasn’t up to par. When we finally got it I realized too much time has passed and we would just have to eat it, but I did want to write the owner to express my disappointment. What followed was several emails from the owner blaming an x-employee, blaming us, pretty much blaming everyone and not taking any responsibility. Her emails to me finally devolved and her true persona came out and it wasn’t very nice. She started out passive aggressive and then just straight aggressive. Like many of the “real” reviews here, I have never met a shop owner like this and have never had an experience like this. I would have rather spent twice the money and gotten this done for real, rather then waste $500 and wait two years tor the most sub par frame I’ve ever seen. P

Horrible experience.Really bad! I went to this overpriced shop and gave a painting for a framing. I was told it will done in 3 weeks. It was done in 4....months!! And it was framed in a wrong frame! After trying multiple times to sort out the issue, I just took the painting and run out of the store. They just didn't care. The only thing worst than such a miserable service was the behaviour of the owner - Donna. Her aggressive, combative and condescending behaviour is something I have never encountered before. Beware.

Recently got a canvas print mounted on a wood frame here. I’d never had something framed, and was a little annoyed at having to take care of it. The experience could not have been better. They listened to what I wanted and steered me to what ended up being the least expensive option. The print looks great and I’ll definitely go back if need something framed.

I've had several pieces framed here and am always thrilled with the results. The staff is incredibly friendly, and very helpful with suggestions for matting and framing. They also have so many great pieces of art, jewelry, cards, and gifts! Matted is an asset to the neighborhood!

"We make your dreams come true!" No, this is not La Grand Prospect Hall and Alice is not making that arm gesture in her glittery burgundy ensemble, but Astoria Art & Custom Framing comes darn real close. I'll tell you why. Years ago, before the Astoria apartment that I lived in erupted in flames, I dropped off a job at Astoria Art & Framing. The piece itself was custom made for me, and the artist dedicated the work to me. After the fire in Astoria, we moved. I suffered an injury related to our rapid move from the building. I had an extensive recovery. Long story short, one year became two, became three...you get the idea. Then I saw a film on the big screen, and lo and behold, the artist who did the work is in it. The end film credits mention that the artist's work was now at the Smithsonian. I call up Astoria Art & Custom Framing. "Do you still have my piece? I'll pick it up." What's your ticket number? "I don't have a ticket." What's your phone number? "The old number doesn't exist anymore, I am sorry, we moved due to a fire in our building. We lost a lot of our stuff. No tickets, and our phone number changed. I can't even remember it. Please, can you help?" Steve, who answered the phone, I could tell, might have been a little frustrated with my request. Three days later, the phone rang. It was Steve. I have your artwork. "Are you sure?" Your name is right on the art. It took me three days to find it in the warehouse. I deserve a medal. "I'll bring you a bottle of wine." I arrived a few hours later, bottle of wine in hand for our lionhearted Steve, and I picked up the work. The piece was expertly framed. It looked beautiful, expertly matted and framed. I appreciate you, Astoria Art & Custom Framing. I appreciate you. [This should be a lesson to everyone: If the person on the other side gets really flustered or upset with your service request, it's usually a sign that the person has the integrity to follow through, and understands what a beast of a job they now have to complete it. Otherwise, they would just say "No." Steve, I would find out, is such a person with major integrity Thank you again, Steve.]

I have now had 3 pictures matted here. Excellent experience both time. Recently I needed to mattes for some artwork and they helped me pick out the perfect custom matte to make my artwork pop. Will come here again!

This store is always surprising and full of great gifts if you're willing to hunt. I've gotten a lot of great LIC stuff there- ornaments, stationary, pillows, and dish towels.

They have some really funky cool stuff here. Every week it seems there is something new in the window. They have a great selection of some odd clothing and some really good pieces. The art is very fasinating as well. I'd love to buy some pieces one day.

I had the BEST experience having my prints/art framed here. Donna took one look at my large-format print and immediately knew what frame would suit it best. I fell in love with her first recommendation (excellent instincts!). Even better, she recognized that her first-choice frame was extremely expensive and spent nearly an hour trying to find me similar, but less expensive framing options. I eventually wound up going with her first suggestion, despite it being the most expensive because it was just perfect. Thank you Donna for providing excellent aesthetic insights and also for considering my budget!

I just love this place! We have had several pieces framed here and they do an excellent job. They were very helpful in selecting the right frame and offered lower cost "off the rack" options - which I appreciated. Aside from the framing, it's just a fun place. My husband and I really like the eclectic collection of jewelry, gifts, household items, etc. We purchased a beautiful stone cheeseboard there a couple of years ago and we loved it. I always find something neat to buy or at least think about buying when I go in. The folks there are local, friendly and go out of their way. Feels like a true LIC business which we really like. Take a look if you can - it's much more than frames!

Came here for the first time after walking past it over the last four years. Don't be fooled by the name, the store is more than just frames. They have tons of fun trinkets and unique gifts to browse through. The owner is also super friendly!

I first visited Matted when they were participating in the LIC open galleries. Matted is now my go to gift shop in LIC- everything is really well curated and I always grab a postcard for the exhibition they're currently having. I used them for framing and Ceasar was extremely helpful. He has a great eye for color and helped me pick mats and frames that best complimented the colors of my pieces.

As an update, I would like to stand by my original review. Donna and I have spoken afterwards and she still stood by her "customer is NEVER right" attitude. Neither me or my husband had stated what she has mentioned in her comment, and it is horrible that she would falsely quote us as such and make up false timelines as well. Yelp community, I am only giving my experience at this establishment in order to warn others who may choose to provide them with business. Please note also that Donna previously felt the need to provide our personal information on her original comment before I flagged this to Yelp. She was forced to update this after it was taken off. I think it shows the business's character that they would so easily give out their customers private information without their consent. Please be warned.

I've had many pieces framed here and have always been thrilled with the quality, and service! Donna is supremely friendly and is super helpful in helping to select frames and matting. You can't go wrong bringing your art here!

I had two large pieces of art framed by Matted about 6 months ago. The owner, Donna, was so helpful in finding the frame & matting that fit my artwork perfectly. Right now those pieces are still hung in my living room and I see them both every day. They still look awesome!

The only reason for the second star is that the staff is very friendly. The job took longer than they said it would (cutting a mat and placing some pieces in a ready-made frame took almost a week). They finally called me to say the piece was ready and that they'd be open until 7. I hustle out of work and get there at 6:35 only to find the place is closed. I called the next day to complain about the early close and the owner said she had gotten sick. While I can sympathize if she was actually sick, it's still poor form to close early when you've told someone earlier that day that you'll be open until 7. Also, there are more staff than just her...so could nobody keep the store open those last 25 minutes? Seems odd. I just picked up the piece, and they did a decent job, but not great. They didn't position the artwork as I had asked. I showed them in person how I wanted them arranged, and they repeated back to me how it would be done. Then they decided to arrange it differently after I left. And the mat was over cut (so you see the cut lines extending beyond the edge). Find a better shop that does better work and keeps regular hours. Unless you don't care about quality and timing, in which case these folks are very friendly. My take is, if you're paying full price, you should get the quality to match.

There was a "grand opening" sign outside their door, and I took a peak inside. They seem to be rearranging some things still, but this store seems to be a bunch of things. They have framing services, neat (but expensive) accessories, and cute, New York-themed items. The jewelry, which I was most interested in, is on the funkier, unique side. Looks like a nice place for a splurge gift.

Horrible experience.Really bad! I went to this overpriced shop and gave a painting for a framing. I was told it will done in 3 weeks. It was done in 4....months!! And it was framed in a wrong frame! After trying multiple times to sort out the issue, I just took the painting and run out of the store. They just didn't care. The only thing worst than such a miserable service was the behaviour of the owner - Donna. Her aggressive, combative and condescending behaviour is something I have never encountered before. Beware.

I had an experience I felt I had to share. I happened to stop in Matted as I was strolling along Vernon Blvd. The owner and I started talking and she was complaining that the Amazon deal was not going forward. She said she had little business because LIC was a bedroom community and most of the residents worked and shopped in Manhattan. She was depending on Amazon to keep the business going. She said some of her business came from tourists on the weekend. She then made a political statement to me which I disagreed with and she said "you can leave now". I did not leave but continued to speak with her and her manner got very cold. I have a few suggestions for her as a small business owner: 1) every customer or potential customer should be greeted with a "warm welcome" when they walk into the store 2) never discuss politics or religion in business 3) hone your customer service skills 4) never ask a customer to leave your store With customer service skills such as hers, it doesn't matter that Amazon did not come into the community, nobody wants to shop with someone who has such an attitude. Just some food for thought!!

Absolutely terrible experience here with Donna, the owner. When I dropped off the items to be framed, I did not have my LIC Perks card on me, which gave a 20% discount on framing. I informed the nice gentleman working behind the counter that I forgot my card and he said it was ok, and that the discount would be taken off when we picked up the items. I made sure about this point, as it would have been easy enough for me to come back with the card at another time. (Matted has since changed their policy on the Perks card, now clearly stating on the website that you must have the card when you drop off) However, when we picked up, she refused to honor the discount. We were accused of being liars, bullying her into the discount, and threatening her. She also swore in front of my 4 year old, stating that "this is bullshit." It was a very strange and shocking interaction. I'm not sure why anyone would want to treat a customer in such an insulting fashion. I definitely would not recommend this business to anyone.

Matted took two months for a botched "custom framing" job that basically required them to accurately cut out a mat for a menu from our anniversary dinner (the frame was a standard size). We dropped off the order in May and had to chase them down to get it one month later only to realize that the job was sloppily done and frame banged up. The excuse was that their framer rushed the job because a family member had a heart attack. Fair enough. We completely understood and waited the two more weeks we were told it would take to do the job. We were never called and had to chase Matted management down, calling a visiting the shop on Vernon Blvd. When we finally got the frame, we were disappointed again. It seemed like no one checked the work that had been done (AGAIN) and this time, the menu was slanted and not centered properly in its frame. I was angry, brought it back, asking for my money back. For a $160 job, I expected more! Donna the proprietor declined to refund the money for a "custom job" and launched into a long tirade of excuses (e.g. the menu was slanted because it shifted due to the hot weather. Really? Give me a break!). She recentered the subject matter in the frame and gave it back to me, never once apologizing for the crappy work and bad customer experience we had. I agree with Cynthia's review. It seems like the customer is never right here. I'm all for supporting the businesses in my neighborhood but seriously, save yourself the hassle. This place is good for buying cards and knick knacks (e.g. they have nice cuff links) but really poor for framing.

I typically think of framing as an overpriced, commodity service. But Donna, the owner seemed to have a great sense of what I wanted to accomplish with three different pictures and within my budget. She got it done, on time, and all three pieces look great on my wall. And even my wife likes them. Its a cool store.

I purchased several pieces of art and frames for our new apartment here last weekend. The owner was helpful when guiding us through the assortment of art. There's a surprising amount of original artwork to be found for less than I would expect. A few negative things about the store is that the variety of artwork is limited. It happens to be my style so I was happy. Also the store is very unorganized. There's clear categorization or logic to anything. Artwork and frames are placed on plastic bins on the ground and stacked in between shelves. If you enjoy rummaging, you'll have fun. But be prepared to get lost!

I have used Matted many times , Donna , the owner is wonderful, she is a real pro at what she does. She always picks the perfect frame for whatever picture I bring in. Her framing is outstanding, I have found no better. All the best Donna. John Hoey

Donna is so knowledgeable, has great ideas, and is a lovely person all around! She framed a number of prints and original artwork for me and everything turned out gorgeous. Prices are reasonable, esp for NYC, and I will definitely be bringing her all my framing jobs from now on. Personally, I also appreciate that she is a strong supporter of LIC's neighborhood and local artists -- you can find her at the LIC Flea too.

Super friendly and helpful, had a screenprint framed perfectly and ready on the day they estimated it would be done. I'll definitely be back. Great art selection is a bonus!

I have had the pleasure and opportunity to frequent Matted on numerous occasions. I find Donna to be both knowledgeable and charming. The prices are always competitive. I gladly recommend Matted!!

Just got home from the opening of the Paul Stipkovich art exhibit at Matted in LIC.Don't miss this great local artists work, he is an amazing Talent.Thanks to Matted for providing a wonderful , relaxed atmosphere to preview this very talented artist.Stop by and be amazed! Dennis

Everything I've gotten framed at Matted has been superb. The woman who owns it, Donna, is very knowledgeable and has a good eye for picking out frames and mats to match your picture. I've gotten so many compliments on her work. The store is cute too; there are pictures, knick knacks and jewelry for sale. Overall, the store has a cool vibe and Donna is friendly and very easy to strike up a conversation with! The turn around time is a little on the long side at 2 weeks. And of course, since you are getting high quality work, be prepared to pay a very hefty price.

I have reason to be in LIC several times a year, and have friends in the neighborhood of Matted LIC, which is how I discovered this place. The store is funky, charming, and a well-worked-in space, with tremendous evidence of a wide range of framing supplies (I have never had anything framed there myself). The best part - well, two best parts: 1) the gifts are unique, stuff obviously carefully chosen, reasonably priced, and not likely found too widely elsewhere, so worth the trip for that alone; and 2) the art openings are phenomenal. I have been to 2 or 3 openings in the past year or so, have met the artists, have spoken with wonderful people, have been intrigued by the work on display -- and will go back for more. Kudos to Donna and Claudine for a wonderful space.

I have had 3 pieces framed at Matted. While the prices are a bit on the high end, the quality of work is fantastic and the staff is very friendly and easy to work with. Donna and her crew have a good eye for what works best with each piece, and are very collaborative with the client. I am pleased with their work.

I love love love Matted!! This is a really great framing store. The staff is so sweet and friendly. I have had a few pieces framed at Matted and each one was treated with the same care and attention, from an inexpensive glass replacement to a large and elaborate fine art piece. The staff are very creative and instantly recognize multiple frame options that will look perfect with your artwork. I have done business with frame stores in different states, and Matted stands out as being very impressive. In regards to some comments about the prices in other reviews, all I can say is that I think that I paid a very fair price here. Custom framing is never a cheap service, but given that Matted is hardly any more expensive than small town frame shops I've been to (and those don't have the sky high building rent like stores in New York do), I'd say it is more than reasonable. If you are looking for a friendly environment with a great staff and a fabulous framed piece that you will love, this is the place to go!

This place is funny to me, it is such a mess inside but the sweet owner Donna doesn't seem to mind at all. It's cute and cluttery. Additionally she always has her family in there, which is charming. I've had about three things framed there and I was more thrilled with the results. The consultation with the framer was terrific. He helped me pick combinations of matting and framing that i hadn't though of. Framing is expensive in general, but I would rather go to a cute mom and pop like Matted than a larger framer. I've attended one of her fundraisers last year and had a great time. Lots of trinkets, jewelry and cutesy gift type things.

Matted is a wonderful place. The owner and staff are exceptionally friendly. I needed to get something Matted quickly for a business trip and they rose to the occasion and made it happen. The 3 signed posters were treated with care and the finished product looked wonderful. They also have unique gifts that are worth stopping and checking out. Great place!

At first I was a little nervous about taking art here to be framed because of the mixed reviews but I had an amazing experience with Matted LIC. The prices were reasonable, the staff was friendly and professional, and best of all their work was amazing! This was the first time I've ever had anything professionally framed and it definitely won't be my last. I would definitely recommend Matted LIC for your framing needs.

Not WORTH the PRICE or AGGRAVATION. They may have a few paintings on the wall and a few "knick-knacks" for sale, but this is anything but an inviting gallery or frame shop. 1. Never open, makes it hard to want to do business with a place that has no set hours and are closed more than they are open. 2. Prices for framing are RIDICULOUSLY expensive for the supposed quality of work they offer. 3. Despite what they say, the work is NOT custom... when you have to order something but can only order it in 3-4 set sizes .. how exactly can you claim you are custom making a frame? 4. The "store" has a "we are always right, never apologize to customer" attitude. Not sure how a new business, in a quaint neighborhood can survive this way but I guess we will see.

This is a follow up to my previous post regarding my bracelet that was returned for repair. The bracelet has been replaced. Donna was gracious and professional in this endeavor, restoring faith in the goodness of fairness.

I had several pieces framed or canvassed by them including two of the art pieces they were selling. All of them are still hanging in my place and do look fantastic. Donna was very patient and helpful in chosing the frame and matting and is always very friendly and supportive. The quality of work and service is exceptional. A great neighbourhood art gallery, not just for neighbours but worth a visit from everyone on NYC. Matted has several shows per year and is always worth a visit, whether for art or small gifts

Before I go into my experience with "Matted" let me first say I am a huge supporter if small local business. I am a military veteran located in Long Island City on duty and I love art. This place run by a woman named Donna and she is without a doubt one of the most disrespectful, argumentative, unprofessional and manipulative entrepreneurs I have ever come across. Myself and some of my comrades stopped by one day to browse and found a couple of pieces we liked. Pricey but as I said we prefer to support small business. We purchased 4 items and placed down payments on two custom prints. The 2 others were maps of the five Burroughs with certain highlighted neighborhoods. Framed and ready to go in 1 week we were promised. 50$ down payments and we left pleased so far. We returned after a week and she said they weren't done yet and the guy was out of town and she would call when they were ready. No phone call no nothing til finally 2 weeks later after she said they weren't ready my buddy stopped by to see what the issue was. Keep in mind this is now 3 weeks after we were promised 1 week. They went inside and Donna was missing and an employee of hers attempted to help. He had no clue about the order and he had some excuse for her why it wasn't done and she wasn't present. He then began sifting threw piles of chaos all over the store searching for the products. Nothing was found and no word about its completion was given. A week after that he returned to once again to search for answers. This is now a month later and once again Donna was no where to be seen and the employee had no clue what order he was talking about. I was out if town or I would've went myself. He returned a few days later (almost 5 weeks after we were promised 1 week) this time the prints were there completed but not framed as requested. Clearly she was not paying attention when the order was placed 5 weeks before. He informed me they were finally there when I came back to work but not framed instead rolled up. I went there today to see what the issue was and she instantly got loud with me and argued. She swore they were done after 1 week but no one ever came back to get them. I asked why it wasn't framed and she claimed we never asked for it to be framed. As she's arguing with me and attempting to defend herself my buddies I was originally with came in and also told her she was wrong and did not listen. She continued to be loud and nearly out of control and suddenly another soon to be unsatisfied customer walked in. She instantly got super quiet and began apologizing. Putting on a show for the customer walking in. It wasn't sincere or real at all. I was disrespected and played. In the end I payed over 108$ for an unframed computer printed 5 Burroughs poster that took over 5 weeks to retrieve. It's a scam joint and anyone who goes here should expect a manipulation. Shame on her and after reading the other atrocious reviews it's pretty clear her reputation will catch up with her eventually.

wonderful. donna and matted are a staple of LIC's re-birth. her eye for unique, local artists has allowed us to fill our walls with affordable pictures that remind us of our time living in LIC. donna's welcoming personality give a small town shopping experience in the big city.

They're really great at picking out mattes that enhance the art, but they are very, very slow at actually doing the work, which might not be bad if they were less expensive. They are also hard to reach by phone, and often the store is closed when their recording says it should be open. They have a nice selection of frame samples, but you're going to pay for that--and then wait for them to get the actual frames from California or whatnot. Be prepared to wait a month or so at minimum, even for a simple job.

I recently moved to LIC from Brooklyn, and needed help with framing. As a single guy in my thirties, I feel ridiculously stupid when it comes to art, design, and making an apartment look nice. And then I met Donna -- I sheepishly explained this to her, and not only was she amazingly cool, but she has helped make my place look great. She spent the time to figure out what I didn't even know what I liked or didn't, and really dialed in on what I needed. She even came over on her OWN TIME when I was having difficulty hanging, figuring out where things should go, and my place look amazing. If you want great artistry and amazing customer service shop here. I owe Matted and Donna big time. Matted made me feel like LIC was a neighborhood, and I can't say enough great things about the store or Donna.

Matted is a great addition to the Vernon Ave strip in Long Island City. Ostensibly a framing shop, it's as much a gift store and art gallery. Shows range from the affably decorative and accessible to art scene material of some heft- a recent exhibition of portrait photography featured some excellent portraits of New York School luminaries like DeKooning, Pollack and Krasner in their prime. In short, it's a comfortable, unpretentious venue where interesting things happen. And indeed they do matting. The proprietor, Donna, is friendly and savvy about presenting artwork, and she helped me to discover some great low cost options for some difficult-to-frame pieces.

Superb quality framing, cute shop, super friendly staff. I highly recommend.

Matted is a perfect example of why I moved to LIC. From the first time I walked in to explore this eclectic treasure to more recent times when I needed items framed, Donna and her staff have been warm, welcoming, and most attentive. Donna not only runs a professional business, but she creates a neighborhood, family environment that is welcoming to all. You are never pressured to buy, but instead are made to feel comfortable and at-home. Whether you are in need of a carefully chosen greeting card or that gift for the loved one who has everything or you need that work of art professionally framed Donna and her staff are right there for you. Oh, and let's not forget how she supports local artists by providing a gallery space as well! You'd have to be quite the sourpuss to not feel the love!

Be forewarned! I want to support local businesses, but I just can't support this one. There's hardly any customer service, and the workmanship is shoddy, messy, and not precise. This is the only negative review of a business I've ever written. They take forever to actually do the job, keep you waiting, make repeated promised, and are so disorganized! it took me 2 months! I suspected chaos when I walked in --the place is musty, disorganized, overrun w/ materials, and is in absolute chaos. There is such a lack of basic professionalism. It is overpriced, customer service is lacking, and the workmanship is highly lacking. What an unfortunate incident. I hope they either shape up, or leave the community to be replaced by a more worthy shop. I came in with a simple frame & mat job...and the drama was so unnecessary.

This place is a joke! WAY OVER-PRICED AND RUN BY A COMPLETE FLAKE! I presume the only reason they're still in business is that their prices are outrageous and LIC is home to a lot of suckers! I realize matting and framing pictures isn't rocket science (and surely the owner is no rocket scientist), but for the price they charge the work should be top-notch. Had a print that needed to be custom framed...$400 and several delays later (months!) it was finally finished and we brought the picture home. Upon close examination the frame had numerous scratches and dings...clearly no care was taken in the work, which I chalk up to the owner's nonchalant and flaky attitude. Far from top-notch, the end product was simply SHODDY! Save your money and go elsewhere. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED...THIS PLACE STINKS!

Donna is terrific! We left her with a beautiful print and she took very good care of it: the frame she made came out very well, and was done beautifully. I've already recommended her to a client of mine, and who had two further prints done with her, and he's also very pleased with the result.