hanging pictures in a stairway

{via Design*Sponge}

Friends of mine just moved into a new house over the summer and they’re looking for suggestions about how to hang family photos in their large, open stairway.

{via LivingEtc}

When displaying any imagery the frames can really set the tone of the collection and the space itself.

• Want to go casual?  Use different frames all in the same colour.
• Have a formal space?  Use identical frames hung in an even grid pattern.
• Looking for eclectic?  Use mismatched frames.
• Do you like to change the imagery often? Don’t use frames at all.

{via Slade Architecture}

As far as staircases go you will want to keep images to an appropriate size so that they can be viewed comfortably while standing on the stairs (which usually tends to be close-up) so 8×10′s and 5×7′s are good choices.  Larger items can be hung in landings, at the top or bottom of the stairs, or in the centre if your art wall can be easily viewed from an adjoining room.

{via Things That Inspire}

When designing your display I really recommend laying out your pieces on the floor so you can brainstorm different configurations.  It’s a good idea to start with the largest piece and build around it.

{via Miss Gracious Living}

Try to keep artwork hanging at eye level for easy viewing.  It’s also a good idea to only hang pictures on one side of a stairway to avoid cluttering the space.  Allow the collection to flow upwards by staggering the frames at a similar angle to the staircase itself.

{via Cool Photo Ideas}

Once I’ve decided on a rough layout I sometimes like to cut out pieces of paper the same size as the framed artwork and hang them in position on the wall with painters tape, this can really give a sense of how the design will look and easily allow for tweaking. Try to keep the spacing between frames even at around 2-3 inches for a more symmetrical grouping.

Do you have any other tips for hanging artwork above stairs?  Share them here!