Ways to Hang Pictures in a Stairway

Two-Thirds Vertical Spacing

• According to thinctanc, the majority of errors in hanging pictures along the stairway center on the mass of the pictures, as well as their alignment. Pictures should be aligned with the same angle of the stairs, and the spacing between the pictures should be the same, but the vertical alignment should differ with the sizes of the pictures. No matter how large or small, the pictures should be hung at eye level, parallel to the same angle as the stairs, with two-thirds of each picture's height resting below this imaginary line.

Matching Horizontals

• According to Renovation Headquarters, an eye-level line should be drawn down the whole length of the stairs, parallel to the angle of the stairs themselves. Upon this line, picture fasteners should be used to hang the pictures, with equal spacing horizontally between each picture. You should adjust the hanging wires on the back of the pictures if you find that they hang too high or too low upon the picture fastener; ideally, the top of a picture frame should be at the same height as the bottom of the picture frame next to it.

Staggered at Similar Angles

• According to Jennifer Squires, a more random grouping of the pictures is a more appropriate form of arrangement. So long as a general pattern of hanging the pictures parallel to the angle of the stairway is observed, a random pattern of vertical spacing, horizontal spacing and sets of two to four pictures can be hung with a staggered form of arrangement.

Completely Random

• According to Sara Tro from all-experts, horizontal and vertical alignment can make the wall of pictures look too much like a grid, and she suggests instead that a staircase of pictures be almost entirely random. Nevertheless, she also advises laying things out on the floor and gauging its aesthetic beauty before hanging the arrangement on the staircase wall.