Due to the popularity of our Hanging Pictures in a Stairway post we thought we’d follow up with the details of how Ikea has hung artwork in a staircase in the above photograph that’s included on their website.

Idea

Create an organized picture wall in a stairway combining inexpensive, easily refillable frames from Ikea and a large canvas print.

Ingredients

• Size of wall space needed: a minimum wall height of 7 1/2 feet tall at the bottom of the stairs and about 11 1/2 feet wide along that top edge.
• Frames (from the Ribba series at Ikea, preferably all in the same colour)
  • one extra large frame measuring 28 x 40 inches
  • two large frames each measuring 16 x 20 inches
  • one medium frame measuring 12 x 16 inches
  • three small frames each measuring 9 x 11 inches
  • one multi frame measuring 12 x 35 inches – It seems as though this frame is no longer available, instead you could use three 9 x 12 inch frames.
  • two large square frames each measuring 20 x 20 inches
  • four small square frames each measuring 9 x 9 inches
• Artwork
  • Pjatteryd Canvas Print Mother and Child by Gustav Klimt measuring 35 x 35 inches
  • one extra large photograph measuring nearly 28 x 40 inches including a white border
  • two large photographs measuring nearly 16  x 20 inches including a white border
  • one medium photograph measuring 8 x 10 inches
  • eight small photographs measuring 5 x 7 inches
  • two large square photographs measuring 20 x 20 inches
  • four small square photographs measuring 5 x 5 inches

Method

See schematic below for details on which frames go where. Otherwise the instructions for hanging this display are fairly standard.

1. Put your images in their appropriately sized frames. You’ll want your largest pieces to set the tone of the collection and the space.
2. Lay your framed photographs out on the floor to start working on the layout.
3. In this case I recommend working left to right across the top, then filling in beneath it from right to left. So start with two of your small 9 x 11 frames in the top left, then to the right of those the medium 12 x 16 frame, to the right of that the extra large 28 x 40, to the right of that one large square 20 x 20 frame, and finally to the right of that the 35 x 35 canvas. You’ll want to make sure that the tops of all these frames line up nice and straight, it’s not so important when you’re shuffling things around on the floor, but when it comes time to hang things you want to be particular, you may even want to use a chalkline to make sure things are even-steven. Leave about 3 – 5 inches between each image depending on how much space you have on your wall.
4. After that things are pretty easy. Beneath the canvas place the 12 x 35 multi frame three 9 x 12 frames side by each and beneath that the two large 16 x 20 frames, again, side by each. It’s important to make sure everything is lined up on the left and right sides and evenly spaced vertically, with 3 – 5 inches between rows, similar to the amount of space you left between pieces in the top row.
5. Beneath the large 20 x 20 square hang the other 20×20 square and beneath that stack two of the small 9 x 9 square frames vertically. Line up the right side of these smaller squares with the right side of the larger squares above.
6. Next move over to the medium 12 x 16 frame, beneath it you’re going to place the remaining small 9 x 11 frame, lining up the right sides.
7. To the left of that, beneath the small 9 x 11 frame in the top row (second from the left) you’re going to put the two remaining small 9 x 9 square frames side by each. They won’t both fit beneath the one 9 x 11 frame, so line up the right edge of the one on the right with the frame above. Then evenly space the other to the left of it, the left edge should be around the centre of the final 9 x 11 in the top row. And don’t forget to line up the top edges of these two 9 x 9 frames for a nice, neat look.
8. Tweak your layout as you see fit, jostling around alignment and spacing and swapping photographs to create a more pleasing arrangement. Personally, I like to place images where the subject is looking or pointing to the right on the left side of an arrangement, while the photographs that are looking or pointing to the left on the right side of the arrangement. That way everything is pointing to the centre, keeping your eye moving around within the collection.
9. Once you’ve got a design that you’re happy with get out a chair or ladder and photograph your layout on the floor from above, you know, just in case.
10. Now you’re ready to hang! I like to keep an extra long ruler, a level, and sometimes a chalkline on hand to make sure everything hangs neat and even. You’ll need to take some measurements to determine exactly where on your wall you’d like to hang your collection. If you’ve spaced your images approximately 3 inches apart your total picture dimensions will be around 10′ 8″ across, 6′ 1″ tall on the right side, and 1′ 11″ tall on the left. If you’ve spaced your images closer to 5 inches apart your total picture dimensions will be more like 11′ 6″ across, 6′ 5″ tall on the right side, and 2′ 1″ tall on the left. To get the whole gallery to sit along your stairway as they have done you’ll want to line up the left edges of the large 20 x 20 frames (#5 + 10) with the bottom step, so it’s probably best to either draw some very very light guide lines on your wall, or cut out pieces of paper the same size as your frames and tape them up while you’re getting the placement just right.

Schematic

1. Ribba Frame – 9 x 11 inches
2. Ribba Frame – 9 x 11 inches
3. Ribba Frame – 12 x 16 inches
4. Ribba Frame – 28 x 40 inches
5. Ribba Frame – 20 x 20 inches
6. Mother and Child by Gustav Klimt Canvas Print – 35 x 35 inches
7. Ribba Frame – 9 x 9 inches
8. Ribba Frame – 9 x 9 inches
9. Ribba Frame – 9 x 11 inches
10. Ribba Frame – 20 x 20 inches
11. Ribba Frame – 9 x 9 inches
12. Ribba Frame – 9 x 9 inches
13. Ribba Frame – 12 x 35 inches – three 9 x 12 inch frames
14. Ribba Frame – 16 x 20 inches
15. Ribba Frame – 16 x 20 inches

Variations

• Switch up the frame colours, shown here are a mixture of white and silver frames, but you could try black, dark wood, or light wood depending on your taste.
• You could decorate your own 35 x 35 inch canvas or commission an artist to paint one for you.
• If your stairway goes up and to the right you can mirror this layout to work with your space.

Oh, and because I know you’re going to ask, the total price for the frames + canvas (as shown) from Ikea = $292.80 (in Canadian dollars, before tax)

Art and and custom mats are extra.