Fences can add to your real estate value because they serve many purposes — privacy, security and boundaries for our pets. But they don’t have to be purely utilitarian structures.
For many homeowners, interior walls are an open canvas for favorite paintings, family photographs and mood-setting colors. With so much real estate to decorate indoors, it would be easy to overlook big opportunities in the backyard.
Fences are ubiquitous in most Austin neighborhoods, so many homeowners have the opportunity to beautify their backyards with a little extra love and attention to those planks of wood or blocks of masonry.
Create a Vertical Garden
Fences make excellent places to display plants. Start off by making sure your fence is sturdy enough to hold the weight. Then look for the best places to fancy up your fence.
Fences often have a lot of open space on them. So, for most small projects, it’s best to pick an area that already has some visual gravity — places your eyes are naturally drawn to — rather than trying to fill up a large open space.
Next, come up with a plan.
You could hang plants on the sturdy posts of the fence, like this. Or create shelves to set plants on, making sure not to place plants that could easily be blown over. Framed boxes are one way to add a little farm-style flair.
When hanging plants on your fence, make sure that your screws or nails aren’t going through to the other side if you share the fence with a neighbor.
Go Funky with Vintage Signs
This isn’t a license to decorate your fence like it’s a dorm room. But a fence is a great place to apply personal touches that really speak to who you are.
Big Texas Longhorns fan? Maybe a metal longhorn image could fit right into your landscape. Green thumb gardener? Perhaps you can mix it up with some oversized and colorful butterflies. Or channel your inner hippy, like this.
Most signs are easy to put up and remove. So you can be bold, knowing that if you sell your home someday or get sick of your fence decorations, it’s easy to take them down without leaving any significant holes in the fence.
Frame it!
Fences can also make for interesting decor ideas, such as empty picture frames and distressed barn wood windows.
Here’s an example of how frames can add some unexpected colors to create contrast with your other landscape elements. And here’s a similar look in a little different setting.
Transform Your Fence into an Art Canvas
Perhaps the most ambitious — and risky — idea is painting an image or design on your fence. A professional mural or other professional-level artwork may be really appealing. But, if you decide to sell your home one day, it may not be seen in the same light by prospective buyers. And the paint will weather over the years.
But, if you’re planning to replace the fence sometime soon or aren’t worried about prospective buyers, it could be a great place for a family painting project — letting everyone express themselves where it will be seen by friends and family.