When it comes to property, “street appeal” is a very common term. Essentially it means what people see when they drive past your property – the fence, the garden, the letter box and the driveway. All of these things lead the eye to the main attraction – the house.
So it’s really important that all these elements work together to create a harmonious and attractive frame for your house. Given it’s right at the front, and often quite large, the front fence is a really important element to get right.
Now, it’s often said you can’t go wrong with a nice, neat, white picket fence. And maybe that’s true up to a point. But in reality, what you should be aiming for is to have your fence blend with or complement your house.
First up, think about materials. If your home is sharp angles and render, then a modern style of fence, such as the meshed rocks shown above, fits the modern aesthetic perfectly. A rendered blockwork fence would work too.
For an older weatherboard home, something wooden or more period appropriate will blend in better. One common mistake I see is people putting a brand new, ultra-modern fence in front of an old home. The fence might look amazing, but there’s no cohesion of style or material to tie it back to the house. In fact, it’s more likely to make the house look even older and more rundown!
Colour is also important. Where possible, pick up the trim colours on the house in the fence, or paint the fence the same colour as the house walls. In the photo below, this lack of connection is jarring – both the wood slats and grey pillars don’t relate to the house, and even the rendered section is a different colour to the house’s walls. They don’t flow naturally together.
A good quality fence is going to be standing in front of your house for many, many years, so take the time to choose a style that uplifts the street appeal of your home. It’s worth it!