When you find the right artwork, the next decision is often how you want it presented - as a framed print on paper or a stretched canvas. Both formats deliver the same museum-quality giclée printing and archival inks, but they create distinctly different effects on a wall. The right choice comes down to your interior style, the room you're working with and the kind of atmosphere you want to create.
This guide compares framed art prints and canvas wall art side by side, covering how each format looks, feels and works in different spaces - so you can choose with confidence.
What is a framed print?
A framed print is an art print on premium archival paper, mounted and set within a solid timber frame. The frame creates a clean visual boundary between the artwork and the wall, giving the piece a structured, refined quality.
At The Print Emporium, framed prints are completed in Australia using FSC-certified solid timber mouldings in natural oak, white or black, and arrive ready to hang with hardware included. The paper itself is museum-quality, printed using giclée technology with pigment inks rated to resist fading for 75 years.
The frame adds weight and presence to an artwork, which makes it feel like a considered design element rather than something simply placed on a wall. This is one of the reasons framed art prints work so well in layered, polished interiors.
What is a canvas print?
A canvas print is an artwork printed directly onto canvas material and stretched over solid timber stretcher bars. The result is a frameless, gallery-style look with the image wrapping around the edges of the piece.
Canvas wall art sits slightly away from the wall, which adds a sense of depth and dimension - almost like a painting rather than a print. The canvas surface itself has a subtle texture that picks up natural light in a way paper does not, adding visual warmth to a room throughout the day.
This format tends to feel more relaxed and contemporary than a framed print, making it well suited to interiors where you want the artwork to feel immersive rather than contained. Every canvas artwork arrives ready to hang straight out of the box.
What is the difference between a giclée print and a regular print?
Giclée printing is a high-resolution process that uses archival pigment inks sprayed in microscopic droplets across the surface of the paper or canvas. The result is exceptional colour accuracy, smooth tonal gradients and fine detail that standard printing methods cannot match.
Here at The Print Emporium, both framed prints and canvas prints use the same giclée process. The print quality, colour depth and longevity are identical across formats - the only difference is the surface and presentation.
How does each format change the feel of a room?
This is where the decision becomes a styling choice rather than a technical one.
Framed art prints feel polished, layered and intentional. The timber frame adds structure and visual weight, which helps the artwork read as a considered part of the room's design. If your interior leans toward a refined aesthetic - think Hamptons, Scandinavian or contemporary modern - framed prints tend to complement that sensibility well.
Canvas wall art has a more relaxed, textural quality. Without a visible frame, the artwork becomes the sole focal point, which suits open, pared-back spaces. Coastal interiors, Japandi-inspired rooms and minimalist styling all pair naturally with the clean, contemporary edge of a stretched canvas.
Which rooms work best with framed prints?
Framed prints suit rooms where you want a layered, styled look with structure and visual balance.
If you're looking for wall art for your living room, a large framed print above a sofa or sideboard anchors the space and adds a polished focal point. Dining rooms are another natural choice. Bedrooms also benefit from the quiet sophistication of framed artwork, particularly when the palette stays within soft neutral or muted tones.
Framed prints are also the stronger choice for gallery walls. The frame creates a consistent visual language across multiple pieces, which helps a grouped arrangement feel cohesive rather than cluttered. If you're planning a gallery wall in a hallway or staircase, consistent framing gives the layout a clean, intentional structure.
Which rooms suit canvas wall art?
Canvas art prints bring warmth and texture to spaces where you want the art to feel immersive and part of the room rather than sitting on top of it.
Large canvas wall art can be particularly effective as a statement piece. A single oversized canvas above a bed or in an open-plan living area creates impact without the need for additional styling - the scale and surface texture do the work. This makes canvas a thoughtful choice for relaxed, nature-inspired or bohemian-leaning interiors.
Canvas also works well in rooms with natural light and organic materials - think linen, raw timber and stone. The slight texture of the canvas surface adds subtle depth and visual interest that shifts with the light throughout the day.
Can you mix framed prints and canvas in the same home?
Mixing formats across different rooms is one of the simplest ways to create variety while keeping your home feeling considered. You might choose framed art prints for your living room gallery wall and a large stretched canvas for the bedroom, or pair a set of small framed prints in a hallway with a single canvas piece in an open dining area.
The key is to keep the colour palette and subject matter connected. When the tone of the artwork flows from room to room, the format difference adds visual interest rather than creating a disconnect. Browse our gallery wall sets for groupings that work across both formats.
Does size matter when choosing between framed and canvas?
Size is one of the most important decisions in wall art, and the format you choose can influence how a piece feels at different scales. (For a more detailed guide, see our post on how to choose the right size wall art for your space.)
Framed prints hold their presence well at smaller and medium sizes. A 40x50cm or 60x90cm framed piece still feels substantial because the frame adds visual weight and definition. This makes framed prints a versatile option for smaller walls, bedside arrangements or tighter spaces. Large framed prints - at 90x120cm or above - also hold their own in formal dining rooms or above a mantel, where the structure of the frame complements the proportions of the room.
Canvas prints tend to come into their own at larger sizes. At 90x120cm or above, a stretched canvas creates a sense of depth and immersion that is difficult to replicate with a frame. If you're looking for large wall art to anchor a living room or open-plan area, canvas is often the more impactful choice.
Do canvas prints need a frame?
No - and that is part of their appeal. A stretched canvas is a self-contained piece, ready to hang straight out of the box. The image wraps around the timber stretcher bars, so the edges are finished and the piece sits cleanly on the wall without any additional framing.
That said, some people do choose to add a floating frame to a canvas for a more tailored look. A floating frame sits around the canvas with a small gap between the artwork and the frame, adding subtle definition while preserving the textural quality of the canvas surface. This is entirely a styling preference rather than a structural requirement - if you like the warmth of canvas but also want the visual boundary of a frame, a floating frame for canvas gives you both.
How should you decide between the two?
There is no wrong answer - both formats use the same printing process, the same archival inks and the same attention to detail. The decision comes down to the feeling you want to create in the room.
Choose framed prints if you are drawn to a polished, layered look with structure and refinement. Choose canvas wall art if you prefer a relaxed, textural feel with a clean, contemporary edge.
And if you are still unsure, our free styling service can help you visualise the right format for your room. Every piece at The Print Emporium is printed to order and made in Australia - whether you choose framed or canvas, the quality is the same.