Framed New York prints in an office staircase and other tricky spaces.

Offices and homes have corridors, and if you live in a terraced house you’ll more than likely have a staircase. Some offices in period buildings also feature staircases and therefore need to consider whether or not to hang pictures in what can sometimes be a tricky and awkward space.

Above our New York prints on a staircase in an architect’s office in Bristol.

Staircases and corridors normally require a coordinated set of framed prints running along the space to create a cohesive look. Black and white prints are often the best solution because they work so well as harmonious sets. The frames too need to match, and sometimes less is more. It’s often tempting to cram in too many pieces in a corridor or on stairs, so we avoid overcrowding and instead give each print plenty of breathing room. An odd number of prints also just seems to sit more pleasingly in many arrangements.

In homes the artwork tends to be more varied and personal. We sometimes choose to use what’s already there — for example the framed school photos or the family canvas prints that people traditionally place in a corridor or on the stairs.

In offices the large framed print you hang in reception should connect with the statement piece in the boardroom or main office. Corridors and staircases form the visual link between those spaces, so the design along them needs to be more subtle and considered to maintain continuity.

You can see the framed New York black and white prints pictured above in the New York black and white prints gallery.