How to create a gallery wall on the stairs

Want a gallery wall on the stairs: here’s what I’ve learnt from mine.

I remember the first gallery wall (or salon wall depending on what you like to call it) I ever created, I was living with my husband’s parents at the time and it was a mess, I had no idea what I was doing. Until that point, I’d only rented so pictures on the walls were a no-go or lived with my own parents and my Dad did it for me.

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It wasn’t until I’d moved into my own home, discovered command strips (more on that later) and gained some DIY confidence, that I was able to build a gallery wall I was thrilled with.

How do you plan a gallery wall on the stairs?

You can build up a gallery wall over time, however, it’s best to build up a large chunk of it (if you can) before you start getting things nailed to the wall.

To create an attractive gallery wall on the stairs, you’ll want to play with colour and texture; don’t be afraid to play with colour and if it feels authentic to your taste, mix and match frames.

In my opinion, the best gallery walls are always a reflection of you so bring to the wall everything you love. If it brings you joy, don’t ask too many questions, just get it in there.

photo: @lindsey_isla

Once you’ve collected everything you want on the wall, it’s time to start planning where it should go.

First of all, lay all the art on the floor in the same amount of space you have on the wall, this way you can see if it works visually. Play around until you’re happy with how it looks, leaving some room (if you need to) around the edges so you can keep adding to the collection at a later date.

I’d leave a similar size gap between each picture frame, you can measure it out exactly or you can eyeball it. I’m not the most precise person so I always go for the latter, has it always worked out for me? Let’s leave that answer for another day, shall we?

How do you display art on stairs?

Framing art with picture frames and glass is the best way to display art on the stairs. The stairs are a high-traffic area so you’ll want to protect your prints and photographs from any knocks and scrapes as people scamper past.

At the top of my stairs, there is a landing where I’ve placed two pictures on the floor, I love this for the aesthetic, but it does occasionally get knocked over by our over-excited dog so maybe if you have a busy household, you’ll want to keep everything nailed to the walls for safety.

How do you hang art on a staircase wall?

I think I’m Command Strips’ biggest fan, the amount of those things I’ve bought, honestly, I think I’m single-handedly keeping them afloat. But seriously, I find them so useful – there’s no drilling, no nails, no faff – just stick ‘em down and you’re good to go. It makes spacing and placing the pictures in the correct position really easy because you don’t have to calculate how the picture would hang from a nail and cord.

COMMAND STRIPS – AMAZON £11.29

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How to hang pictures in a high stairwell?

Creating a gallery wall on the stairs when you have a high stairwell will require the use of a ladder and a ladder extension. The extension hooks onto the bottom of a folding ladder so it can balance on two stairs. I’d always recommend working in pairs when using a ladder, especially in places like the stairs.