30 Fresh Fence Ideas

Frame your yard, add privacy and security and enhance your curb appeal with one of these gorgeous fence ideas.

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March 25, 2021

By: Kamron Sanders and H. Camille Smith

Related To:

Fall in Love With Fences

A well-designed fence does more than serve the practical purpose of simply keeping people and pets in or out. Choosing the right fence for your property can boost your home's curb appeal and change your exterior's visual impact for the better. To help you find the fence that's a fit for your home, keep clicking to learn more about a few of our favorite fence construction styles and materials.

From: Harry Norman, REALTORS and Luxury Portfolio International®

Go Mad for Mod

If you're a fan of modern or midcentury modern-style homes, a low, sculptural concrete wall pairs perfectly with these architectural styles and lends a clean, sleek look to any landscape. Take a closer look at this contemporary lakeside masterpiece, below.

See More Photos: Contemporary Lakeside Home

From: Juxtapose Design Build

Step Up From Chain-Link

Want the open, airy feel of a chain-link fence without the less-than-beautiful looks? This vertical patinated steel fence is the perfect alternative. The inherently strong steel is still perfect for holding pets in, yet from certain angles, you may even forget the fence is there.

From: Kurt Kraisinger

Wow With Wrought Iron

This New Orleans residence is nothing short of grand, and, in true NOLA fashion, the front garden is a work of art. Luckily, the green wrought iron fence allows passersby to enjoy the lovely boxwood display while still offering the homeowner a little security. Wrought iron is a tried-and-true fence material, but you can easily kick it up a notch by painting it to match your home. Check out our helpful tips for installing your own wrought iron fence, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Install a Fence Around a Courtyard

From: Mullin Landscape Associates

Pack a Privacy Punch

Instead of putting up those temporary hardware store privacy fence panels, give your yard a timeless feel with a traditional brick wall. Any brick installation on or around your home adds instant beautification, but aged brick like this shines in a courtyard setting and provides maximum privacy. Find more genius ways to makeover your courtyard, below.

Watch the Video: Courtyard Makeover

From: Carolina Landscape

Or, Open Things Up a Bit

If you’re into the brick aesthetic but not into the heavy look of a closed brick wall — good news! Perforated brick fences are a solid alternative. This classic fence style maintains the traditional look of brick while still offering a view beyond your yard. Want a yard this beautiful? Pair this fence with a gorgeous matching walkway and a small boxwood hedge. Learn how to prune the perfect hedge with our top tips, below.

learn more: Pruning a Hedge

From: Mullin Landscape Associates

Or, Just Split the Difference

Want to add a little privacy to your landscape without completely shutting yourself off from the world? Then, take your cues from this beautiful midcentury home’s brick privacy walls. Instead of opting for a full-on privacy fence, the homeowner installed disconnected, solid brick walls at varying heights. This visually appealing approach adds strategic privacy without completely blocking the gorgeous architecture. Take a tour beyond the privacy walls of this midmod stunner, below.

See More Photos: Curb Appeal: Midcentury Home With Courtyard

From: R Design Landscape Architecture

Add Style With an Arbor

No matter which fence material you prefer, nothing enhances the look of your yard like adding an arbor. If this quaint garden walkway wasn't picture perfect already, the addition of a stone pillared arbor, topped with an impressive display of vines, gives it extra style cred. Considering an arbor for your yard? Learn how to construct one yourself, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Build a Grapevine Arbor

From: Bill Bocken

Glass Panels: Privacy + Pretty Views

Let's be honest: When buying an oceanfront home in Malibu, California, what you're really splurging on is the view — so why cover it up? This modern home solves that problem with tempered glass panels creating a barrier between the homeowner's private patio and the public beach, beyond. The clear glass panels allow sweeping views of the Pacific and also act as a buffer on windy days. Looking for other creative privacy ideas? Check out our recommendations, below.

See More Photos: 45 Creative Ways to Add Backyard Privacy

From: Katherine Carter Design

Give Wood Boards a New Look

Wood fences don't have to be boring, outdated or rustic. To lend a more modern style, this homeowner opted to showcase the gorgeous cedar boards on a horizontal rather than the traditional vertical look. The end result creates a visually interesting backdrop to the landscape's layered plantings. Learn how to build your own horizontal fence with the link, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Building a Horizontal Plank Fence

From: R Design Landscape Architecture

Or, Embrace Rough-Hewn and Rustic

While we love a nice modern wood look now and then, nothing quite compares to the look of raw cedar, and this rustic post and rail fence proves it. The uncut cedar logs give this fence a hardy, weathered look that perfectly complements the modern-meets-rustic ranch home it encircles. Take a tour of this sprawling home, below.

See More Photos: Rustic Ranch Home With Stone Columns, Wood Beams

From: Cornerstone Architects

Keep It Easy Breezy

Whether it’s keeping pests out of your garden or simply keeping pets and oh-so-curious children in the backyard, wood frames filled with an open-weave wire, that allows for easy air movement, is the way to go. When properly installed, wood and wire fencing is just as sturdy as a standard wood privacy fence and lends a charming, cottage look to your property. Want to DIY your own? Get all our tips in the video, below.

Watch the Video: How to Install a Custom Hog Wire Fence

From: Odd Job Landscaping

Keep It Classic

Truly, is there any sweeter look than a timeless white picket fence? Surrounded by roses and a mix of blooming perennials and annuals, the cottage garden staple is right at home here. Ready to boost your home's cottage charm with a picket fence? Learn how to properly install the readymade panels, below.

Get the How-To: How to Build a Picket Fence

Work In Weathered Finishes

Opting for weathered finishes is key to giving your home that lived-in look. Instead of a sleek new privacy fence made of wood, metal or smooth concrete, choose a weathered wall like the one pictured here. While clean, smooth concrete or stucco might distract in this setting, this textural treatment plays into the property's natural beachy vibes. For more beachy bliss, check out this stunning property, below.

See More Photos: Waterside Retreats: Stunning Oceanfront Deck & Pool

From: Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture

Bring Your Fence to Life

The clipped privet hedge surrounding this luxurious backyard swimming pool is the ultimate privacy fence for those that don't like traditional fence materials. This living fence look can be achieved with a variety of evergreen shrubs, but we recommend pairing it with an internal or external fence material if you plan to keep pets in. Get started on growing your own with the link, below.

learn more: Planting Hedges as Screens

From: Odd Job Landscaping

Say Hello to Stucco

A fan of Southwestern style? Then, say hello to stucco! Everything about this landscape and hardscape is gorgeous, but the real showstopper is the stucco wall. By color-matching the wall's material to the home, the property has a cohesive, old-world feel that is only enhanced by the beautifully weathered wood lintel and reclaimed door. Want to learn how to stucco like a pro? Get all our tips in the video, below.

Watch the Video: How to Stucco

From: Tate Studio Architects

Harness the Power of Paint

For a cheery pop that's sure to lend a smile to passersby, give a front yard fence a fresh coat of kicky color — no need to just stick to white when painting a picket fence, go with a hue that makes you happy. Check out more ideas for wooden fences, below.

See More Photos: 20 Design Ideas for Wooden Fences

Take a Notch Out

Want some privacy but don't want to miss out on your property's gorgeous views? We've got the solution. Simply notch a privacy fence or wall to allow yourself access to good views. Trying to keep a pup in? Fill the notch with a tempered glass panel. Follow the link, below, to check out more of this stunning desert retreat.

See More Photos: Stunning Structures: Contemporary Desert Retreat Anticipates Every Need

From: BOXHILL

Mix In Some Stone

Nothing lends a sense of timelessness like stacked stone. In this gorgeous Portland, Oregon backyard, the homeowners were inspired to recreate the centuries-old Charleston and Savannah, South Carolina, gardens they love. To surround their new garden, a fence anchored by basalt rock piers tied together with black wrought iron fencing adds the pitch perfect look and seems as if it's always been here. Be inspired to mix some stone into your fence design, below.

See More Photos: Stone Fences With Style

Elevate a Privacy Fence

Take a wooden privacy fence from drab to fab by placing brick pillars between the panels. This homeowner went one step further by painting the rails a contrasting green for an effortlessly elegant look. Learn the basics of building brick columns like these in the video, below.

Watch the Video: Brick Columns

From: Aesthetic Gardens

Make the Fence a Focal Point

A jaw-dropping home and landscape like this deserve nothing less than an equally jaw-dropping fence. This beautiful installation features a brick border tying into the home’s exterior, but the real eye candy comes in the form of thin horizontal wood slats. The stained wood slats give this fence massive appeal while decoratively hiding things like the unsightly HVAC system yet still allowing light to filter through. In love with the horizontal fence trend? We've got even more in store, below.

See More Photos: Hip Horizontal Fences Expand Your Horizons

From: MESA Design Group

Keep Your Style High and Your Fences Low

The simple inclusion of a low garden wall separates this Spanish-style bungalow from the street, making the home feel secluded, even in Los Angeles. Keeping the solid stucco wall low ensures it doesn't detract from the home's curb appeal, while the intricate laser-cut gate gives it a few extra style points.

From: Lisa Gimmy Landscape Architecture

Add In DIY Additions

Copper fence post caps are an easy and super budget-friendly way to add an extra flourish to wooden fence posts. And, bonus, they also protect the wood from splitting due to water gathering on the wood's exposed cut end. Pretty and practical? We'll call that a win-win!

Opt for Trellis Style

This serene courtyard has it all. Circular garden beds, large shade trees and perfectly weathered matching benches. However, the real showstopper is the large arbor and trellis fence bordering the courtyard. Trellis is a great fence material to create an open and airy vibe, even when used on a large scale like this.

Plexiglass Panels: Durable + Customizable

One of the newer materials on the scene for fencing is plexiglass. Framed by wood, the durable sections can be clear, like glass, or fully opaque, as they are here, or any variation between. Other decorative options, like reeding, or designs that resemble embedded leaves or feathers are also available.

Incorporate Classic Motifs

Looking for a way to boost your new fence's sense of permanence and timelessness? A classic design element, like this fleur de lis border adds old-world charm and will look just as classic decades from now.

Embrace Geometric Design

This Chippendale-inspired design proves that wooden fence panels needn't consist of just side-by-side boards. Custom-built by Atlanta Decking and Fence, the low panels surround both the home's deck and adjacent backyard and their open design allows for unimpaired views of both areas.

Fences: For Cities, Too

On this Chicago rooftop, a stunning panel made from durable Corten steel is cut out in the shape of a tree to accent the surrounding metal fencing. The panel, added by Topiarius, which specializes in outdoor living on rooftops, also offers some privacy without completely blocking the surrounding city views.

Make a Grand Statement

At first glance, this stately fence looks like stacked stone but it's actually constructed from concrete pavers installed in a standard brick-run pattern, topped by vertically spaced pavers for a really nice decorative effect. Bullnosed concrete caps lend a rounded finish to the fence's top. Available in a wide variety of colors and textural finishes, concrete pavers are just as durable as natural stone but a bit more affordable.

Join the Ivy League

Intentionally covering structures with ivy is nothing new. In fact, ivy-covered walls have been imparting their elegant charm to stone and brick structures for centuries. While the jury is still out on how good or bad ivy is for your home's exterior, the creeper's lush green look has truly never gone out of style. Want to add this kind of charm to your backyard? Learn how to grow beautiful ivy with our helpful tips, below.

learn more: Enhance Your Landscape by Growing Vines

From: Zucker Design Associates

Add Decorative Accents

To add maximum privacy to this home's driveway, decorative panels were cut and applied to a traditional solid wood fence. The fence is by Topiarius, a full-service landscape design, build and maintenance firm in Chicago.

Shop This Look

Photo By: Harry Norman, REALTORS, a member of Luxury Portfolio International, Photographer: Back River Photography

Photo By: Juxtapose Design Build

Photo By: Travis Bechtel Photography

Photo By: Lazyeye Photography

Photo By: Chris & Cami Photography, LLC

Photo By: Lazyeye Photography

Photo By: Michael de Leon Photography

Photo By: Shelley Metcalf

Photo By: Amy Bartlam

Photo By: Michael de Leon Photography

Photo By: Andrew Pogue Photography

Photo By: Odd Job Landscaping

Photo By: Atlanta Botanical Garden

Photo By: Tamara Alvarez, Landscape Architects: Landwise Design & Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture

Photo By: Odd Job Landscaping

Photo By: Mark Boisclair Photography, Inc.

Photo By: Image courtesy of Horton and Co.

Photo By: Matt Vacca

Photo By: Zachary Baker

Photo By: Aesthetic Gardens

Photo By: Mark McWilliams Photography

Photo By: John Ellis Photography

Photo By: Topiarius

Photo By: Chris Granger, New Orleans CVB

Photo By: Atlanta Decking & Fence

Photo By: Topiarius

Photo By: Belgard

Photo By: Jeri Koegel Photography

Photo By: Topiarius

30 Fresh Fence Ideas

Related To:

Fall in Love With Fences

Go Mad for Mod

Step Up From Chain-Link

Wow With Wrought Iron

Pack a Privacy Punch

Or, Open Things Up a Bit

Or, Just Split the Difference

Add Style With an Arbor

Glass Panels: Privacy + Pretty Views

Give Wood Boards a New Look

Or, Embrace Rough-Hewn and Rustic

Keep It Easy Breezy

Keep It Classic

Work In Weathered Finishes

Bring Your Fence to Life

Say Hello to Stucco

Harness the Power of Paint

Take a Notch Out

Mix In Some Stone

Elevate a Privacy Fence

Make the Fence a Focal Point

Keep Your Style High and Your Fences Low

Add In DIY Additions

Opt for Trellis Style

Plexiglass Panels: Durable + Customizable

Incorporate Classic Motifs

Embrace Geometric Design

Fences: For Cities, Too

Make a Grand Statement

Join the Ivy League

Add Decorative Accents

Shop This Look

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