Yes, You Can Hang Art on a Curved Wall

Our Stairway Gallery Makeover with Art.com

This post is sponsored by Art.com but all views are my own.

“Wait – can you do that!?”

As far as I’m concerned, art belongs where life is lived and your stairway is a high-traffic life zone.

For some reason, most of us want to avoid decorating a curved wall – especially a curved stairway wall. The logistics are tricky in and of themselves, but that’s kind of my specialty. I love a design challenge. And I really love transforming a spot that feels overlooked or untouched – particularly for the sole reason that it feels hard to tackle – and making it feel intentional.

When we started planning our stairway refresh, I knew I wanted to turn that sweeping curve into a museum-style gallery moment – and Art.com made the art part so easy. (Josh on an uneven ladder is our hero for the not-so-easy part.)

We wanted this wall to showcase art that worked together. That complemented each other. It didn’t need to “match” per se, and no need to stay in one genre or medium. The mix is the point. The exercise and creative experiment implementing a museum gallery wall like what we were aiming for was going to rely on our ability to mix vintage photography with bold, iconic and historical pieces with a present day, modern artist. Let’s get to it!

Why a curved gallery wall works, and why it’s so fun!

A curved stairway gallery wall turns a transitional space into an intentional experience. A wall like this feels less conventional which, in turn feels clever and creative. It adds movement and visual interest, too which creates a conversation piece. My favorite spaces in homes, restaurants or hotels are the ones that create conversation and bring energy. Something to talk about!

And trust me, since everyone has an opinion, this should be encouraged.

The curve naturally guides the eye upward which is a design element just begging for storytelling in motion.

Remember, there is no perfect gallery wall layout, whether on a flat wall or a curved one. The only requirement is that it feels like you.

Choosing art that tells YOUR story

Art.com has an expansive collection and they make it easy to discover exactly what makes you happy with sorting functionalities like artist name, or subject. They have categories ranging from architectural, botanical, maps, movies, nature or travel… You can search by different types of photography, art color, and even by design and decor styles. If you’re unsure where to begin, start by slowly browsing art you’re naturally attracted to – the stuff you LIKE with no explanation… and you will begin to feel inspired. Let the art find you.

Browse first and pick one or two subtle themes or colors or a mood to set the tone for your harmony.

I’m breaking down our tips and tricks and how we narrowed down Art.com’s impressive range of styles, subjects and countless, custom framing options below. I followed my intuition and built a story – not just a wall of rectangles.

Your space is personal, layered and full of movement. Think of your soon-to-be gallery wall in the same way.

Tips & Tricks:

Let’s bust the biggest myth before we go any further: “Curved or stairway galleries require only long, lean and super-linear pieces.” Little pieces work! Mixing shapes works! Curves are actually friendlier than they look. They guide the eye up and around which means your art doesn’t have to work as hard to “make sense.” Also: landscape orientation works!

Use longer picture wire than you think. Curved walls means trickier angles. Extra wire makes it easier to catch the nail or hook, even if you need to pull the wire back a couple of inches. This is normal!

Two nails works too! If picture wire isn’t your thing, you can anchor with two nails instead. Both methods are correct. Two nails requires more effort and precision but the goal is stability and to get the art hung on the wall easily. Choose the method that keeps you sane.

Make a mock-up: I designed our layout in Canva so I could decide which size art and what custom framing options to order. This allowed me to drag and play with the art we were thinking about to nail down a final design.

Your goal should be to:

• order the art one time
• minimize holes in the wall
• minimize your time going up and down the ladder

Mix and match: Portrait or landscape orientation, black and white photography, modern art, graphic prints or sketches… your curved gallery wall is the perfect place to play with variety. Tell a story that makes you happy.

Keep a gentle diagonal movement. Let the art follow the staircase line. It naturally draws the eye upward and makes everything feel intentional. We started with a straight line parallel to one of our windows, and wanted the top line to be even, but after that, we moved the pieces up the stairway line.

Curves are forgiving. The shape of the wall itself creates the flow and energy of your art, so your task is just to make it feel collected.

Turn the “every day” into “WOW!”

You’re going to love how your curved gallery wall feels designed, not avoided. You’re going to love the questions and the appreciation your guests feel for yet another glimpse into what makes you tick. A plain, white wall can be beautiful. But an intentionally-designed gallery wall can act as an extension of your personality. It should feel collected, personal and warm and it should offer movement.

This is your sign to tackle an unexpected wall and make it a little (or a lot!) bold or a little (or a lot!) weird. Whatever makes YOU happy. This is where the magic lives! Welcome to the bright side!

Our exact pieces are below. As always, I’m here and happy to help answer any questions. Art.com also offers kind and knowledgeable customer support. There’s no reason not to try this!

Love,

Linds xo