Framed prints of Paris for office walls.

Corridors are tricky and so are stairs. If you put prints in a corridor, will people stop and look at them? Is there enough room for your visitors to stand back and properly appreciate each piece?

Are prints on stairs going to get damaged? Here I’m going to talk about those tricky places in an office or a home where you want to put a print but wonder if it’s truly sensible.

Certainly, less is more, and there’s a real danger of overdoing things. Thoughtful simplicity and a clear theme are important — for example, a set of black-and-white prints from the same city will usually read more cohesively than a random mix of colour and monochrome images from around the world. Sticking to a single subject or motif — all nightscape prints, a series of bridges, or views of the same neighbourhood at different times — helps create a stronger, more unified display.

Stairs are another area where the practicality of a row of expensive prints can present a few challenges. Will people brush past them and cause damage as they walk by? Possibly, but if the frames are securely fixed to the wall to prevent that — problem solved. I think prints on stairs look fantastic.

The client who lives above was initially hesitant, yet they now adore the continuous row of New York black-and-white prints. You’re much more likely to knock over a bowl left on the steps than damage these framed pieces. You can view these images in the New York black-and-white gallery.

There are also a few simple rules I follow with corridors. Only occasionally should you install a long continuous line of prints, because corridors mostly have offices opening off them. Pairs of prints in the spaces between the office doors work particularly well. Odd numbers tend to look best on stair landings. Keep the prints modest in scale. If the prints are too large you have to stand back to see them properly, and you want your visitors to be able to enjoy them as they walk past.