Our favorite styles for an inviting outdoor space.

A well-designed fence offers more than just functionality.

They come in a variety of heights and styles and can be constructed from an array of materials.

White Picket Fence with Pink Azaleas Blooming and a Teal Bike

Credit: Ralph Anderson

This wooden option provides the homeowners with privacy without comprising the homey feel of a conversation corner.

Bedeck in Brick

Getty Images

A brick fence will stand the test of time.

Even once discoloration sets in and moss creeps up the bottom, it will maintains its character.

corner of a backyard with couches and tall fence

Credit:Getty/John Keeble

If you want to hide the wear and tear, however, a vining plant or flower is helpful.

A picket fence typically looks best on the shorter sideabout 3 to 4 feet tall.

Extend Your Siding

Turn your barrier into an extension of your home that blends in seamlessly.

Sara and Billy Jack Brawner’s Waco, TX home at Chrsitmas with the Kids around the firepit

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Paige Mullins

For added character, you might use wire to draw vines up the fence.

Bring In Detail

Use unique patterns to add interest to your backyard space.

This panel-style fencing makes a statement without overwhelming the petite courtyard.

Climbing Hydrangea

Credit:Getty Images

Let It Be Wild

Laurey W. Glenn

Use the fence to grow and contain your shrubs andflowers.

Allow greenery to spill through the slats and over the top for a free-flowing look that doesnt appear unkempt.

This provides visibility while still maintaining a boundary that feels welcoming.

New Orleans Garden

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

This punch in can be built with traditional wood, vinyl, or even metal to suit your setting.

Add an angled plank on the gate for detail.

Make a Statement

Take a traditional style, and give it a twist.

Treetop Terrace with an Open Deck

Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

The mixed materials of the brick border paired with the wooden slats will complement many home exteriors.

Protect Your Privacy

A privacy fence doesn’t have to feel standoffish.

These side-by-side boards create a solid wall without it being constrictive.

Dark Picket Gate

Credit:Laurey W. Glenn

This style can be installed horizontally or vertically depending on preference.

you’re free to also soften any wall with climbing vines and bordering trees.

Here, a water fountain flush with the structure breaks up the wall.

Peter Falkner Gardens Back Fence

Credit:HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ

Leave It to Nature

Stick with natural wood, and let the elements add the character.

you could also alter the shape of the top of the picketround, flat, or angularto your liking.

Similar to a trellis, these criss-crossed strips of wood create a subtle graphic element.

Pass Christian House Back Fence

Credit:Dana Tashima; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Mix Your Styles

Designate a space for your garden or flower beds with a simple fence.

Keeping the same material and weathered look creates a cohesiveness between the two styles.

The curve of the wall and simplistic whitegatesoften the stone for a welcoming backyard entry.

Sophisticated and Savvy

Credit: Photography Ralph Anderson

Keep It Simple

Let your blooms and shrubs do the real work.

These simplistic and rustic beams create structure without impeding the enjoyment of color and greenery from either side.

Climbing vines, like creeping fig or ivy, are relatively easy to train to climb your masonry.

Side Yard Walkway with Endless Summer Hydrangeas in Birmingham, AL Garden

Credit: Robbie Caponetto

This concept works just as well with wrought iron atop the brick, keeping the view unobstructed.

Grow Living Barriers

Living fencescan take on many forms and heights, from manicured to wild.

Here, a 12-foot-tall, clipped European hornbeam hedge surrounds the courtyard.

Garden Bench Along Fence in Backyard

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lydia Pursell

From square and flat to arched, the structure is an easy way to create a picturesque walkway.

If you need a completely enclosed space, a gate can be added within the frame.

Top it with an overflowing display of florals and vines for extra beauty.

What’s Growing

Credit: Photo: Ryann Ford

This lowgarden-style picket fencewith angled planks adds clean lines to the garden landscape.

It’s a tried-and-true material.

Taking Time to Grow

Credit: Alison Miksch

Cottage Garden Courtyard

Credit: Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson

Purple hydrangeas against rustic fence and gate

Credit: Rosmarie Wirz/Getty Images

The Front Parking Area

Credit: Ryann Ford

2022 Southern Living Idea House

Credit:Laurey W. Glenn, Styling: Kendra Surface

The Pavillion

Credit: Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson

Rose-Covered Arch

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

The Boxwood Garden

Credit: Photo: Lisa Romerein

Greet Guests with Flowers

Credit: Photo: Ralph Anderson

Backyard Fence

Credit:Alison Miksch