Staircase: gallery wall layout with sizes
Five prints climbing with the stairs, each one a step higher. 5 prints, 78 in (198 cm) wide by 62¼ in (158 cm) tall at 2½ in (6.5 cm) gaps; $211.50 unframed with 10% off. Hang it with its centre 57 in (145 cm) from the floor, or its bottom edge 6–10 in (15–25 cm) above furniture.
Hanger drop: measure from the top of the frame down to the hanger (on a sawtooth, to the middle of the teeth).
| # | Size | Nail from the floor | Nail from the left wall edge | Nail from the centre line | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damask Rose | 12 × 18 in | 77 in | 27 in | 33 in left |
| 2 | Provence Rose | 16 × 24 in | 91 in | 43½ in | 16½ in left |
| 3 | China Rose | 12 × 18 in | 99¼ in | 60 in | on it |
| 4 | Water Lilies | 16 × 24 in | 113¼ in | 76½ in | 16½ in right |
| 5 | Blue Water Lilies | 12 × 18 in | 121¼ in | 93 in | 33 in right |
Every frame in this layout
| Column | Frames (top to bottom) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 12 × 18 in |
| 2 | 16 × 24 in |
| 3 | 12 × 18 in |
| 4 | 16 × 24 in |
| 5 | 12 × 18 in |
The rules and the formula
- Space frames 3 in (7.5 cm) apart in a row or set, and 2–3 in (5–7.5 cm) apart in a gallery wall.
- Nail height = centre height + half the frame height − the hanger drop (the distance from the top of the frame to its hanger).
Worked examples
- 5 prints, 78 in (198 cm) wide by 62¼ in (158 cm) tall at 2½ in (6.5 cm) gaps; $211.50 unframed with 10% off.
Art that fits this wall
Questions
How do you hang pictures up a staircase?
Keep each frame's centre the same height above the step below it (about 57 in), so the line of pictures climbs at the slope of the stairs, roughly 7 in up for every 10½ in across.
The reasoning behind these numbers: How to hang a gallery wall: spacing, height and layouts.
Sources
- Frameology, Gallery Wall Rules (2 to 3 inches between frames, measured edge to edge)
- PictureFrames.com, How to Group Pictures on a Wall (2 to 3 inches between frames)
Updated 2026-11-03. Free to use; no sign-up. To cite: Madten, “Staircase: gallery wall layout with sizes”, https://www.madten.com/tools/gallery-wall-layouts/staircase.