Fences are often the first thing you see when you look out into your garden – and frequently the first hello for anyone arriving at your home too.
Once, just three types of fencing framed British streets – the simple lap panel, the slightly sturdier featherboard and the wholesome-looking picket.
Not so anymore, as technology and trends have transformed home boundaries, with everything from minimalist slatted screens to weather-proof composite affairs on offer.
Renovating or replacing existing fencing can be a notoriously thorny issue though – and a tempting quick spruce-up can often lead homeowners down the garden path of bad taste, say design experts.
Such is the nature of a shared border, if you get it wrong, it often isn’t just you who has to live with it, but those who reside next door too.
Jordana Ashkenazi, founder of award-winning design studio, Element One House, tells the Daily Mail borders are often a prime site for DIY disasters – and says you can often tell what kind of homeowner owns a property just by the fences that fringe their exterior space.
She explains: ‘People spend fortunes on kitchens, bathrooms, even cushions, and then completely forget the one thing everyone sees first, particularly in the front garden. The boundary.
‘Whether it’s a fence, a wall, railings or even a hedge, it’s the opening line to your home. It sets the tone before anyone steps inside and, consciously or not, people take it in straight away.
‘In some homes, it’s front and centre. In others, it sits quietly in the back garden or along a side return. But wherever it is, it still becomes the backdrop to your space, and that matters just as much.’
‘The biggest mistake people make is treating their boundary as an afterthought. If it feels considered, it lifts everything around it. If it feels rushed, it brings everything down with it. And people notice that more than you think.’
So, what does your current fence say about you? Have you stepped over the boundary of style, or are you sitting pretty with a border to be admired?
CHEAP AND CHEERFUL: THE LAP PANEL
Are you a lap fencer? The most common kind of fencing in British towns and villages, the lap fence panel is ‘cheap and cheerful’
Secured within a wooden frame, the lap panel is a traditional fencing type that has timber slats overlapping.
Says Jordana: ‘This is the most basic and widely used option. It’s cheap, functional and does exactly what it needs to do. It’s not about design, it’s about practicality.
‘You tend to see this in more no-frills, everyday gardens where the priority is simply getting something up and moving on.’
The designer adds: ‘It gives a very “that’ll do” energy. Nothing offensive, nothing exciting, and not really driven by style.’
RETIREES’ FAVOURITE: FEATHERBOARD FENCING
Sensible, and a little bit pricier than a standard lap panel, featherboard is a frequent sight in suburbia
More expensive than a lap panel, the featherboard doesn’t deviate too far from tradition – but lets people know it’s better quality, and thus pricier.
Jordana’s verdict? ‘This is a step up. It’s more solid, more durable and feels more considered than a basic panel. You’ll often see this in tidy, well-kept gardens where everything is done properly, but not overly designed.’
If a featherboard boundary edges your garden, then you probably care about what your neighbours think – and are keen not to be the house that lets the side down in a middle-class neighbourhood.
‘It sits firmly in that middle ground. Slightly more polished, slightly more intentional, often associated with family homes or middle-aged gardens where things are meant to look correct and finished.’
BORDERING BAD TASTE: A GREY PAINTED FENCE
Tempted to reach for the paintbrush – it could make your fence look worse, not better, says design expert Jordana Ashkenazi
Nothing wrong with reaching for a tin of paint come the spring to tart up a lap panel fence, is there?
Well, says our design expert, investing £50 in some paint and brushes might sound like an affordable outlay…but it could equal an instant taste fail – and it all comes down to which colour you choose.
‘At one point, everything went grey. Grey sofas, grey kitchens, grey floors, and then, naturally, the fence had to follow. It became the fastest way to feel modern. If it’s grey, it must be design-led.’
She continues: ‘So suddenly everyone was out there painting their fences grey. I’ll do mine too. Now it looks current. Now it feels expensive. The reality is, it doesn’t always work like that.
‘Grey outdoors can feel quite flat and lifeless if it’s not balanced properly. Without planting, texture or warmth around it, it can end up dulling the space rather than elevating it.’
‘It often gives off that slightly try-hard, trend-chasing energy. The intention is there, but the execution doesn’t always land, and instead of looking high-end, it can tip into something that feels a bit downmarket.’
Can you ever paint a fence without it looking a little low-rent? You can, says Jordana.
‘If you are going to paint a fence, warmer tones tend to work far better. Soft olives, earthy neutrals and more natural shades sit much more comfortably in a garden setting and feel less trend-driven.’
‘DOING WELL FOR THEMSELVES’ MILLENNIALS: VENETIAN PANELS
Minimalist battens of red-hued wood might appeal to a trends-loving thirtysomething couple – but they can make a garden feel a little characterless, warns our expert
There is no way an upwardly mobile thirtysomething would utter the words lap or featherboard to their fence installer – it’s all about the batten, ideally in classy red cedar. Fixed – at inch-perfect intervals – by hand, they create a modern-looking screen.
Our expert’s low-down? ‘This is the more curated, contemporary option. It’s clean, architectural and very intentional. You can tell it’s been chosen as part of a wider look, not just thrown in at the end.
‘This is very much the domain of younger, design-conscious homeowners or well-to-do couples who want their garden to feel considered and on trend. It has that very polished, slightly Instagrammable feel.
‘It looks great when done well, but it can feel a little over-styled if everything around it is just as controlled.’
TOO POSH FOR AN ACTUAL FENCE? A NATURAL BOUNDARY
You don’t get many fences in the Cotswolds…and that could be for good reason.
Boundaries that don’t rely on the kind of fences seen in suburbia are often much preferred in England’s prettiest towns and villages.
Skipping the lap panel or featherboard is arguably the most ‘refined’ border you can have, says Jordana.
‘An ivy-covered wall or boundary softened with planting feels very English. It looks traditional, established and like it’s always been there.
‘There’s a softness to it that makes the whole garden feel calm and effortless. It doesn’t shout for attention, it just works.
No boundary required if you’re properly posh and living in rural England
‘You tend to associate this with older, more established homes or people who understand that a garden should feel natural, not over-designed.’
You’ll need to put the graft in every year though, or risk a boundary that quickly becomes untamed – and irks your neighbours.
‘It only works if it’s maintained,’ says our expert. ‘Ivy has a habit of taking over if you leave it to its own devices, and what starts off looking romantic can very quickly feel messy and overgrown. Keep it trimmed, keep it intentional, and it stays elegant rather than chaotic.
‘A simple brick or stone wall with planting in front, or ivy growing up it, can achieve a very similar look. It feels solid, timeless and far more considered than most off-the-shelf fencing options.
‘That said, stone or brick boundaries are not always possible. Where they are, they bring a natural, grounded quality to a garden that is hard to replicate.
‘More generally, having some form of natural element within a garden, whether through planting, materials or texture, makes a noticeable difference to how calm and cohesive the space feels.’
THE STATEMENT FENCE: BLACK DECORATIVE PANELS
Risky: Those who buy into statement panels are likely high-street trend followers – but such decorative panels might annoy your neighbours and see you grow tired of them quickly
The one big flaw with installing a fleet of statement fences – often black decorative metal panels with floral designs – is that they can look on point one season and tacky the next.
Hello nouveau riche, basically.
Jordana offers a word of caution: ‘They can look striking, but they’re not the easiest to get right. A lot depends on the pattern and how much of it you use.
‘They often appeal to people trying to create something more design-led or eye-catching, but there’s a fine line. Some designs look great, others can feel dated quite quickly, and it’s the kind of thing you might fall out of love with.’
The other pitfall? ‘They also don’t feel particularly natural. At the end of the day, they are large, quite chunky pieces of metal in a garden setting.
‘Used sparingly, they can be interesting. Overdone, they can start to feel heavy and a bit forced. This is where things can lean slightly nouveau riche, where there’s an effort to stand out, but it doesn’t always feel effortless.’
THE STUDENT SPRUCE-UP: WICKER OR BAMBOO SCREENS
The quickest of fixes…but does such a perfunctory solution suggest that the owners approach life in the same way?
Who needs to lever out a concrete fence post when you can just tack on a wicker screen and have a new look by lunchtime?
Says Jordana of the wicker and bamboo screens you can pick up on Amazon for around £17 a panel: ‘These have a softer, more rustic feel, but they can also come across as a bit temporary.
‘They often feel like a quick fix or a budget solution rather than something designed to last. There’s a slightly student, stop-gap energy to them, like something that’s been put up for now and might be replaced later.’
‘If you like that natural look, bamboo can actually be a better option when it’s done properly. It has a similar warmth but can feel more intentional and more durable if it’s well installed and maintained.’
THE CHATTY NEIGHBOUR: A SHORT FENCE
The height of a fence can say a lot about its owner too, says our interior designer.
‘Shorter fences feel open and sociable. They suggest you’re happy to be part of your surroundings and not completely closed off.
‘A full 6ft fence is more about privacy and control. It creates a clear boundary and a sense of separation.
‘Neither is right or wrong, but they do give off very different signals.’
