Belle Arte is an unsuspecting paradise for artists, designers, and art collectors. I happened upon Belle Arte by accident one day after taking a few wrong turns in Lincoln Heights. I was welcomed in by co-owner Lanna Borom, who excitedly led me around the warehouse space that seemed to stretch on and on and house more and more treasures around each turn.
Several offices lead to a modest framing area filled with options, and beyond that you’ll find long hallways stocked with prints, mirrors, and various other projects. Though their framing seems to happen at lightening speed, you’ll want to give yourself time to explore the space when you visit.
A Few of the Framing Options Available at Belle Arte
Before there was Belle Arte, co-owner (and Lanna’s husband) Chuck Borom was framing art in his garage. He decided to travel the world in alphabetical order and sell art door-to-door along the way. He made it to Alaska, Australia, and Africa, before calling off the world tour and heading home to Lanna. He managed a wholesale art factory while Lanna pursued entrepreneurship, but it wasn’t long before he decided to open up his own place and enlist his new bride to help him.
Framing by Belle Arte
Belle Arte opened up in Lincoln Heights in 1989, and in the early years they catered strictly to wholesale clients who sold art at swap meets and to college students. Word of mouth spread quickly, and their clientele expanded, but their prices didn’t. Belle Arte now works with designers, artists, the hospitality and medical industries, renovators, retailers, and anyone (like me) who happens to wander in with something that needs a little framing love. If you’re out of the area, you can still work with these lovely people through Etsy and Amazon.
Custom Mirror by Belle Arte
In addition to their extensive stock of art prints and mirrors available for sale, they’ll also print your own artwork and happily make custom mirrors as well. Chuck and Lanna, along with with Chuck’s brother Thomas, Production Manager Noe Serrano, and their small but mighty framing family do all of this at really incredibly low prices and with turnaround times that might actually give you mild whiplash. As if wholesale pricing and a swift process weren’t convincing enough, the crew at Belle Arte is extraordinarily kind, knowledgable, patient, and helpful.
Belle Arte is located at 3055 Humboldt St, Los Angeles 90031. You can reach them by phone at (323) 226-0203 or via their website, www.bellearte.net. They’re open from 8:30-4:30, Monday-Friday.
