TL;DR — Mat vintage menu prints in warm white, cream, or linen, with a generous 2.5-4 inch border, and use acid-free board so the paper stays safe. The mat colour should echo the aged card, not outshine it — which is why bright cold white is usually the wrong call.
By The Menu Press · Published September 2026
Why a mat matters
A mat does three things: it lifts the artwork off the glass, it gives the eye a margin of rest, and it makes a modest-sized print read as considered art. Skipping the mat is the quickest way to make a beautiful menu look like a poster. For these period cards, a wide mat is almost always worth it.
Choosing the colour
Warm white, cream, ivory, or linen are the safe, flattering choices because they echo the aged paper of the original card. A bright cold white can make the period tone look slightly grey and dead by comparison. If in doubt, hold a few mat samples against the print and pick the one that makes the paper look warm and alive.
Width and materials
Give the mat a generous border — 2.5 to 4 inches on each side — so the artwork has room to breathe; larger prints can carry a wider mat. Use acid-free (conservation) mat board to protect the print over time, and consider a small reveal or a double mat in a slightly deeper tone for an extra note of quality.
Matting rules of thumb:
- Colour: warm white, cream, or linen — not cold white.
- Border: 2.5-4 inches, wider on big prints.
- Board: acid-free / conservation grade.
- Optional: a double mat with a thin deeper reveal.
Print, mat, and frame any menu in the archive. Browse the archive →
Frequently asked questions
What mat colour is best?
Warm white, cream, or linen. They echo the aged paper and keep the artwork looking warm; cold bright white tends to dull the period tone.
How wide should the mat be?
2.5 to 4 inches on each side for most sizes, wider on a 16×20. A generous mat is what makes a print look like gallery art.
Does the mat board matter?
Use acid-free conservation board so it does not discolour or harm the print over the years.
Further reading
The Menu Press curates, digitally restores, and reformats public-domain menus from the Buttolph Collection of Menus, The New York Public Library, for archival-quality printing as wall art. Browse the archive · Read our story.