How to Arrange Photos On Your Staircase Walls

The staircase wall is often one of the most neglected spaces when it comes to home decor and interior design, mainly due to the unique dimensions that can make it hard to choose the best arrangement for pictures and artwork. But it’s simpler than you think to arrange pictures on a staircase wall with our easy-to-follow tips and practical placement guides.

Your stairs will most likely be situated in your entrance hall which is the first taste of your home that people will see, so you’ll want to create an impressive welcome for guests as well as having a space that you feel happy coming home to. Decorating your staircase wall is a fantastic way to achieve this. 

Follow these useful tips for how to hang pictures up your staircase wall and get even get some inspiration for creative staircase gallery walls.

6 Practical Tips for Hanging Photos on Stair Walls

1. Plan before you hang

The best tip for hanging photos on stair walls is to plan. Don’t just go in hanging frames up straight away as you might end up making random holes that you’ll regret later. Lay everything out on your floor first. This is the easiest way to experiment with the arrangement and to see what works and what doesn’t before you commit to hanging photos up. 

2. Make a guide on your wall

Having a consistent starting point for each part of a gallery wall is extremely helpful. To do this, find the rough centre of each stair and map it evenly across the wall. Use a measuring tape to make a small mark on the wall 60 inches up from the middle of each of the steps (or less if it’s a smaller space), then join these together with some painter’s tape: this is your guide. 

3. Imagine one line

A great tip when thinking of how to hang photos going up your stairs is to imagine a straight line running up the wall, parallel to the angle of the stairs. Lay out your photos with this invisible line running through the centre of any larger frames, with smaller frames touching the line with their corners. 

4. Follow a grid format

Keeping the lines of the different frames you’re hanging on your wall in a grid-like formation helps with uniformity and consistency – without it, you could risk a wall that looks hectic and poorly thought out. A spirit level is a fantastic tool and your greatest friend when hanging photos. 

5. Use two nails to avoid crooked frames

When you only use one nail to hang your photos, they often move if you happen to brush up against them (as is often the case with staircase walls) which leads to them becoming crooked and off-centre. The best solution for this is to hang your photos off of two nails for greater stability. Again, use a spirit level to make sure they’re even. 

6. Pause often to check your work from afar

When you’re doing your wall decorating, you’ll be up close and personal with whatever you’re putting up. Keep in mind that perspectives often change a little when you step back; something that looks straight when you’re close to it may look crooked once you’ve stepped back That’s why it’s important you regularly take time to check your work is still looking good from a distance. 

Creative Ways to Arrange Pictures On Staircase walls 

Now you have all the practical, DIY tips you need, it’s time to get thinking about how exactly you want to arrange your pictures. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Think about the frames

The photo frames you choose can greatly alter the look of the wall you’re going for. If you have a variety of artwork to show, from black and white art to colourful holiday photos, using one material and colour of the frame throughout unifies these disparate pieces together to create a cohesive look. Alternatively, a gallery of pictures that are of the same theme or same colour scheme can benefit from mix-and-match frames to add a fun feeling to the design.

One statement piece

Using one, large artwork or photo centred on your staircase wall can act as a stylish statement piece that creates a fantastic focal point.

Mosaic grid

A mosaic of different sized frames going up your staircase wall looks fun and creative and is a wonderful way to showcase a vibrant variety of pictures.

Corner mosaic

Another creative mosaic idea, this layout is great for more expansive walls with more space.

Clean line

One row of pictures, in the same size, running up the staircase wall in one line creates a clean, chic look and works well for enclosed spaces. White frames can work well for narrow staircase walls as they reflect light making a space feel wider. If you don’t have a lot of room to work with, check out our ideas for decorating enclosed staircases.

Match Your Staircase Wall Gallery to Your Stair Accessories

If you’re spending time decorating your staircase wall and getting its design just right, don’t forget to pay attention to the rest of your stairs. At Stair Rods Direct, we have all the stair accessories you’ll need to add the finishing touch to this important area of your home, including our beautiful stair rods, door thresholds and carpet runners that can go with any staircase wall gallery. 
We are experts on all things stairs and have some great inspiration for staircase decorating on our blog.