{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!
6 Comments
Thanks, this was helpful. It’s not so easy to make it look right.
LD: Have you tried this before? If so, feel free to share your tips here.
I have an open stairway to the upstairs. I would like to hang one large piece of art work on the wall going up the stairs. I currently have it hung in the middle of the wall, splitting the two levels. It looks to low from the second story and to high from the landing. I do not want to add any other art around this piece and i’m not sure of the proper place to hang it. Eye level from the upstairs view or eye level as you go up the stairs? If you could help me out I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks
without actually seeing the space and based on what you’ve written here i’m tempted to say that the piece should be hung at eye level from the second floor. large pieces are best viewed at a distance rather than right in front of the piece while on the stairs. plus you’ll likely spend more time comfortably viewing the artwork from the second floor rather than while you’re on the steps. which area do you spend the most time, on the stairs or on the second floor?
perhaps you need to treat the area like two separate spaces; a staircase, and a second floor.
Once you’ve done all this work, you’ll want to make sure your arrangement stays straight. I’d recommend placing rubber bumpers or anchor points on the bottom corner of your frames, they will stay straight forever. Guaranteed to survive dusting and a busy household. Love the inspirational pictures you chose.
Great tips, just what i was looking for,with displaying art should you have a theme to follow.
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