Now that you’ve had a new railing and staircase installed by Pinto Carpentry, it’s time to accessorize and decorate! Today we’re covering the steps needed to make your own stairway gallery wall. You can choose from an eclectic mix of fine art and photography, or perhaps choose to create a family photo memory wall. Create a minimalist aesthetic by utilizing the same texture and shape of the frame, or create something more whimsical using different textures, colors, and finishes to your frames. The process is straightforward and simple, but the customization possibilities are endless and unique to you! Let’s get started.
First, you’ll need to gather some simple materials:
Measuring Tape and a Ruler
Painter’s Tape
Graphite Pencil and Eraser
A Level or a Leveler App on your Smartphone
A Hammer
Picture Hanging Nails or Drywall Screws
An assortment of Framed Photographs or Artwork
A piece of paper or notepad for recording measurements
The Three-Step Process:
Step 1: Measuring the wall and angle of the stairwell, and creating a mockup on the floor.
To achieve the best possible balanced look and layout you’ll want to follow the natural arch of your staircase so the eye travels up and down the artwork as you walk. We’ll need to measure the angle and length of the stairwell, as well as the max wall height. We’ll use these measurements to tape off the floor and create a mockup of the design so we can experiment with the placement of each frame and art piece. This ensures we’re not putting unnecessary holes in the wall or rearranging over and over.
Step 2: Layout the frames within your taped off area, and arrange them how you feel best fits your design aesthetic and personal tastes, and take a photograph of them to remember how to lay it out.
Leaving some empty spaces around the initial layout can allow room for growth of your gallery and rotation of images. You can also leave empty frames in between photographs, and place a solid or patterned piece of cardstock in place of the image as a placeholder, or for visual interest. It can help to number the frames and denote their measurements on your layout on a piece of paper or on a printout of the photo itself.
Step 3: Using a pencil and/or painters tape, mark the layout of each frame on the wall, and then begin to hang your framed images.
Match the artwork or photo placement from your floor grid with the placement of each frame with the tape and pencil lines on your wall, and affix them with special drywall screws if needed or use a traditional picture hook. Feel free to change the matting, frame, or images seasonally, change photographs as your family grows, or add and improve to the gallery at your whim.
Here are some great Youtube Videos to get you started with more visual aids and tips:
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