Design 101- French Art of Treillage

Berceau de treillage du Jardin de Chaville

The origins of treillage can be traced back to the 12th century, when countryside gardeners took to creating wooden structures, called treille, to support their climbing vines. But it wasn’t until the 17th century that the art of treillage reach new heights of popularity when King Louis XIV had the world famous French garden at Versailles constructed.

The word “treillage” is said to have been derived from the Latin trichila and also from the treille or tendril of a vine. The French word is now generally favored over “trellis”.

Originally landscape artists used treillage to bring instant architecture, large scale and elegant formality to a newly built landscape. While it would have taken years for hedges and topiaries to reach maturity, treillage brought an immediate sense of grandeur.

Today’s designers and architects are using treillage more for décor and creating privacy then for climbing foliage. It is also being used both inside and outdoors and for residential and commercial projects.

Indoors it creates an old world European charm to dining rooms, libraries and sun rooms. Outdoors it transforms ordinary walls, makes elegant fencing and partitions for privacy and security. Used on urban rooftops it blocks undesirable views and creates a private outdoor living space that was once unusable.