How to Decorate a Trellis

Wooden trellises, which often have a criss-cross lattice form, are best for painting.

A trellis is very useful for supporting vines and other sprawling plants, but you don't have to be a gardener to incorporate a trellis into your decor. You can purchase a trellis at a garden center or keep an eye out for one at thrift shops and garage sales, then use it strictly for decorative purposes. You can put a decorative trellis indoors or outdoors as a lovely garden craft, and you will never have to worry about watering plants.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Trellis
• Damp cloth
• Drop cloth
• Primer
• Paintbrush (optional)
• Spray paint
• Clear acrylic sealer
• Nails or screws
• Silk vines and flowers
• Hot glue gun
• Vase or flower pot (optional)
• Embellishments

Instructions

1. Measure your wall to ensure you purchase a trellis that will fit on it. Get a trellis with a shape that appeals to you.

2. Wipe your trellis with a damp cloth to remove any dust or dirt. Lay your trellis on top of a drop cloth in a well-ventilated area, such as outdoors or in a garage with an open door.

3. Apply a water-based primer, or a plastic primer if your trellis is made of plastic. You can brush it on with a paintbrush, or use a spray primer. Allow the primer to dry.

4. Spray-paint your trellis with an acrylic paint in the color of your choice. To get even coverage, hold the paint can approximately 8 inches over the trellis and sweep the can from side to side as you spray. Allow it to dry and apply a second coat if necessary.

5. Cover your dry, freshly painted trellis with a clear acrylic sealer to protect the paint job. You can paint it on with a brush or use a spray-on version.

6. Hang your trellis on the wall. A wood trellis can be nailed or screwed directly to the wall, but if your trellis is plastic, you can insert a nail or two halfway into the wall and hang your trellis on the nails the way you would hang a picture frame.

7. Hot-glue some silk vines and flowers on the trellis. Have them start at the floor as though they were growing up through the carpeting, or place a vase or flower pot at the base of the trellis and have it look like the vines are growing up out of it. Have them spread out randomly, and weave some in and out of the slats.

8. Add other decorative elements to your trellis, or around it, to complete the look. Hang some wax fruit such as grapes or strawberries, decorative gardening gloves or hand tools, like a trowel, or clip on some seed packets.

References

• Gardening Know How: Garden-House Style: Bringing Outdoor Furniture and Garden Accessories Inside