Iloilo Custom Framing Inc

Very friendly and helpful. I needed a some input on how to hang a large picture and they not only helped but handed us some free hardware to hang the picture. Will go back to them with the handful of custom framing needs we have.

Jay is brilliant! I’ve taken quite a few things in to get framed and each one has emerged a work of art based on its framing alone. I can’t recommend Iloilo enough. By far the best custom framing in Chicago.

I’ve been going to Jay for years and am consistently impressed by his work! He has a keen eye for color and for how art should be complimented by the frame — his work always looks like it was created in tandem with the art by the artist themselves! Jay also has an infinite number of frame and mat options available and always shows you something you wouldn’t have expected or chosen yourself. On top of all this, he makes the process fun and is just a great person to spend time with. I’m addicted to Jay and go into the shop every chance I get!

Fantastic framing place! Owner goes out of his way to make sure you get what you want. He also has a great eye for framing and what looks good. I’ve gotten so many compliments on the things I’ve had framed here. Will be returning soon!

Jay is truly one of a kind. He’s a living legend and his skills are a dying art.
You’ll never get the same attention to detail and taste at a Michael’s or other
generic custom framing place.
I don’t live in Chicago anymore, but I just had to use him for a recent gift. I told him
the story behind the photo, and Jay really helped me make it special and personal.
He has a great eye for color, and really understands the type of tones and
textures that will compliment the artwork or photography.
He can be pricey, but you’re paying for top quality and decades of experience.

Jay does top notch framing but what sets him apart is that he is an artist himself and he lends that experience and sensibility to his frame work, helping select the perfect frame and materials for each piece. Excellent quality, a delightful personality and all at a reasonable price. If you want the best, go and consult with Jay at Iloilo!

No, custom framing isn’t cheap, and yes, I get that Ilo Ilo isn’t the cheapest in town. BUT, I’ve been bring stacks of my stuff to Jay @ Ilo Ilo for years because he’s got a fantastic eye for the perfect frame and he’s always given me a fair deal. No matter how random the thing I have brought in, Jay will walk over to his wall o’ frames and zero in on the thing that will make my poster/​painting/​scribble pop.

I have gotten several pieces of art and pictures framed with Jay at Iloilo. The product is high quality, artsy and gorgeous, and the best part is the interactive service. Jay and his team really help you walk through your though process around the artwork, where it will be placed, and help fulfill what you’re looking for while providing a range of ideas. He’s got a great eye for color and manages to create the perfect frame – in my case, with colors and styles I wouldn’t have even considered. Definitely worth it! And, the prices are great.

Had our framing done ahead of schedule. Great eye for detail. We spent just the right amount of time to make sure that our print looked amazing. Matching colors with double matting and frame. You can tell that Jay cares about your art — just as much as you do. Thank you! We will be back.

From the customer interaction to the finished product, I have nothing but compliments for Jay, owner and master-​framer at iloilo Custom Framing. I came in on Thursday evening and picked up my custom frame on Saturday afternoon. I don’t believe Jay would usually promise to finish a request in such a short time, but once I explained that it was a Valentine’s gift for my boyfriend, he said he would do his best. Jay worked extra hard to make sure that it was completed when requested. I was blown away by his kindness, enthusiasm as well as the quality of his work.
It was immediately very clear that Jay cares more about his customers than just making money. He didn’t have to spend 45 minutes going over framing ideas with me even though it was after closing time nor did he have to complete a difficult project in such a brief time. The quality was more than exceptional. The service was great. Here, I really felt that I was more than just a customer in a transaction. I felt like a partner. I felt that he really cared for what I wanted to accomplish. He will always have my business in the future and I encourage everyone to check it out.
As for the 2 star reviewer, why even place your comments it’s just so shallow.

I have been taking both fine art and prints to Jay for 5 years now. Having had a few years of framing under my own belt, I am very picky about how my pieces are done and Jay never disappoints. Mat, no mat, no glass, archival glass, fillets, floating mount; he’s never thrown for a loop by my requests. Pricing is reasonable and he can always accommodate when I have a tight deadline — I’ve even come to him when the piece is in a show in a matter of days. To top it all off Jay is pleasant and excited about his work.

I would not dream of taking my framing projects to anyone other than Jay. Over the past several years, Jay has framed many items for me, from my invitations to Bill Clinton’s inaugurations to museum prints. Each has benefited from Jay’s advice as to both framing and mat selection. His recommendations have made each truly a work of art.

They do excellent work here. I have shown up with artwork that needed framing and they were very helpful in helping me pick out the frame and matte styles. Everything turned out better that I imagined. I have been back several times and have always been thrilled with the results. I even had them make a kick-​ass shadow box for one particularly small piece of original artwork. I would definitely recommend bringing your framing work here.

Jay shadow framed a Burmese tapestry for us and it cam out gorgeous.

I went to Iloilo at the recommendation of a friend. i had several items to be framed ranging from posters to fine art. On the day I arrived, we spent more than an hour choosing the right frames, mats and glass for all my pieces.
Jay was a joy to work with from start to finish. I put myself completely in his hands because I have trouble visualizing a finished product so it’s difficult for me to make the right choices. I described for Jay where the piece would hang, what was hanging near by, and a bare description of my style.
Everything that Jay did was perfect, and the prices were reasonable. I was realistic about the cost — I wasn’t looking for a $ 19.95 special — I wanted a frame that I was proud to hang in my home. His prices are far below the competition, and if he makes a mistake, or the piece doesn’t meet his or my standards, he fixed the problem immediately with no additional expense.
My favorite part of the experience was Jay’s excitement when I picked up my pieces. I had a particularly nice piece to be framed, and he saved that for last. He was genuinely joyful that I loved the piece.

Finally had a chance to use Iloilo after I saw some of the other work he did for a friend of mine. Luckily, he did the same great work for me. Wonderful, clean, «a work of art.» He even added some mat to accommodate for the fact that the frame I had wasn’t a great match for the print. Very personable and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! :)

Jay’s service is great, and his prices are very fair. I’ve had a lot framed at his shop and I have never had a problem understanding him.

I’m sorry to break the winning streak on this one, but I’ve had better framing experiences here in Chicago. I will say two things to start, though: one, this shop did a great job with the tile I needed framed. Two, while I will not return to it for further framing, I may return to check out the gold-​painted, empty square and circular frames hanging in the windows (if they’re for sale), since I think they would look really beautiful hung up on the wall.
So, I went in after reading about this place on Unilocal!and excited to discover it was just up the street. I had a small tile I purchased from an artist in Jerusalem when I was in Israel this May, and needed it framed. The owner was hard to deal with. The issue with the tile was that it was too small to be framed as it was: it needed to be matted in order to enlarge the perimeter to be framed, since frames couldn’t be cut down to the small size of the tile (so much for ‘custom’ framing). I had never heard of this, not being an expert framer, so I asked a bunch of questions as to why this was all the case. He just got annoyed and impatient, made a lot of theatrical sighs and continued to explain. He was awfully difficult to understand, and I found him so annoying that I thanked him and said I’d return after learning a bit more about the process.
Okay. THEN, I went to another framing place down the street, got the same story, but from a much nicer woman. Would that I had just given her the tile then and there! But I thought, hey, Unilocal!said Iloilo was good and reasonably priced, so I’ll give it another shot. I returned the next day. The owner was there, and we talked about my preferences (black matte, black frame). When I asked about the placement of the glass, he informed me that it would have to be about a half-​inch above the surface of the tile. «Why is that?» I asked. Innocent question, right?
Wrong. BIG sigh, BIG huff and puff. «BeCAUSE,» he said, «It will BREAK otherwise.» God, okay, I get it. He quoted me a whopping $ 51 for the whole thing. I was disgusted but I was so tired of the whole process that I said fine, just give it to me asap. I should have honestly just left then and there, seeing as the kind of service he gave wasn’t worth what I eventually paid him. Do NOT come here if you want to talk to someone who is willing to take the time to explain to you yours options and what for and why you’re paying an arm and a leg for them. There are definitely cheaper places in Chicago (I’ve been to them) and I will hunt them up in the future for any other framing I need done.

This place is great. The owner is very nice and incredibly helpful. He showed us so many options to get my diploma framed and the finished product, finished perfectly by the deadline he gave, is simply beautiful. Additionally, it was a bit cheaper than I expected, and upon seeing the finished product, honestly cheaper than I would’ve splurged for, considering the great quality. Highly recommended.

Jay is Chicago’s best kept secret! He a master craftsman, friendly, loves his job and does amazing work. I am never disappointed going there. If you have anything to frame Jay is the man!!!