Staircase Wall and Landing Decor: How to Turn a Blank Climb Into a Design Moment!

 # Staircase Wall and Landing Decor: How to Turn a Blank Climb Into a Design Moment

★

Most often when people think of staircase design, it seems as if the entire space serves only a utilitarian function. A blank wall next to the staircase and an empty landing on the top or bottom hardly seem worth consideration – but those walls represent one of the most prevalent surfaces in your home that could really use some attention.

★

Staircase wall and landing decor brings style to a place that only serves as a means to an end – mirrors, gallery frames, storage space, and landing nooks that transform a bland climb up and down stairs into a space worth exploring.

★

Read on to learn how to best style and decorate your staircase, depending on the kind you have.

## Why Staircase Walls Should be Decorated

Some reasons why this long-neglected space is worth your time:

A staircase wall is a surface which is unavoidable – you will see it several times per day, more than most other surface in your home

Long and skinny walls are crying out to be dressed in gallery style

The landing is also a blank canvas, though it may seem like a wasted opportunity

Enclosed or tight staircases especially need extra decor to make the space not feel so constricted

## 5 Ways to Decorate a Staircase Wall

### 1. Gallery Wall Along the Staircase

A staircase wall is a great candidate for a gallery – but the frames should not be hung in a straight line. Instead, the frames should follow the slope of the staircase, to give the illusion that the gallery is part of the stairs themselves. This is probably the most common kind of staircase decoration seen around the web and in magazines, and for good reason; it creates a great focal point.

### 2. Statement Mirror on a Staircase Wall

A single large mirror on a staircase wall will simultaneously add style and reflect light, which tends to be very helpful in enclosed or dark staircases. This is another common and effective way to liven up a previously boring staircase.

### 3. Wallpaper on a Staircase Wall

Long and narrow walls are the perfect place to experiment with paper, because they are not as intimidating as a big wall in the middle of your living room. Staircase walls are also generally tall, so you can get away with pretty much any pattern or design you want. Floral designs and botanical prints are especially popular in this setting.

### 4. Landing Decor as a Small Vignette

The landing at the top or bottom of stairs can be treated as its own small vignette – the space can take whatever decorating you want it to have. Most importantly, whatever you put there should not impede traffic flow going up and down the stairs. Smaller tables or potted plants work great in this space – just make sure it fits within the footprint of the landing.

### 5. Storage and Display Combo on the Wall

Floating shelves are a great addition to most staircase walls, especially if you are constrained for space and need to make the most of your square footage. Especially if your staircase occupies a space between two walls and is enclosed, you could really use the extra storage space these shelves provide.

## How to Choose What to Put on your Staircase, Depending on the Type You Have

Open staircases – gallery walls and big mirrors will look nice, because there is more space to accomodate them

Staircases between two walls / enclosed – wallpaper and floating shelves are especially recommended, because they create light and open up the space

Tall staircase walls – use big pieces of art or an elongated gallery style to fill the vertical space

Landing – the small vignette can really shine anywhere on the staircase

## Some Final Thoughts About Staircase Room Decor

Use these general tips to choose what goes where:

Make sure to measure twice before putting anything permanent on the wall – because staircase walls are at an angle, it helps to make paper cutouts of frames to see how much space you have before actually putting holes in the drywall

Lighting is important – a couple scones on the staircase wall are nice and functional

Do not overwhelm the landing – whatever you put there (or leave there) should not block the way up and down the stairs. Keep it small and narrow.

Remember the landing at the top of the stairs – it tends to be one of the most overlooked places in the whole staircase decorating trend, and is simple to fix by putting a single plant there or some other small object.

## Why Is This Trend Taking Off Now?

Staircase decor falls squarely in the most sought after category of design trends – it is at once ubiquitous and overlooked. There is no home that does not have some kind of staircase, and yet most people do not spend much time thinking about how to decorate them. The payoff is also huge, since a well-decorated staircase really stands out. It is simultaneously very common and very useful, which is the recipe for virality in design trends.

The ultimate guide to decorating a staircase wall and landing is as follows:

1. Hang a gallery along the diagonal of the staircase

2. Add one large mirror to the space

3. Use paper to add pattern and interest

4. Style the landing as a vignette

5. Add floating shelves to store and display

That long wall next to your staircase is crying out to be styled – save this post for later and give it the attention it needs!