How to Hang Photos on Stairs

Choose a variety of frames for your photos. Although you may want photos of the same size on your stairs, breaking up the display by adding a round or oval frame occasionally brings visual contrast. This makes the photo display more interesting.

Select photo frames that are uniform in size for visual continuity. If you have frames of multiple sizes cluster a few of them above each stair so the block of photos is about the same size. For example, above one stair you might place a block of four photos hung together in a square. On the next "photo block" up, hang a large photo that's equal in size to the four smaller pictures hung together.

Paint the wall on which you intend to hang pictures. This creates an accent wall, which gives you a vibrant backdrop for the photos. This type of wall stands out if one side of the stairway is open.

Mark the wall from the stair to the height of eye level on the wall. Eye level is usually about 60 inches. From each stair, make a light pencil mark on the wall above it at the 60-inch mark. The best photo displays on stairs follow the natural line of the stairs. Though there are exceptions, it's best to follow this guideline first and deviate from it later after you've established the visual line. Each block of photos you hang on the wall will visually mimic the pattern of the stairs if you mark the stairs this way.

Pound nails in the wall where your marks are and hang your photos. Step back from time to time to ensure that the visual progression of your photos also forms a stair-step pattern.