Most fence design ideas pages show you stock photos of fences that could be anywhere. This one is different. Every style below is one we’ve actually built for homeowners across the St. Louis metro and each comes with notes on why it works in our climate, what it costs relative to other options, and what to think about before choosing it for your yard.
We’ve been designing and installing fences in St. Louis since 1979. Over 45 years, we’ve seen what homeowners love (and what they regret) across thousands of projects in neighborhoods from Kirkwood to Chesterfield to Webster Groves. These fence design ideas are drawn from that experience — not from a Pinterest board.
For a comprehensive overview of which materials perform best in Missouri’s climate, see our guide on which fence materials last longest in St. Louis. And if you’re still narrowing down the basics — material, height, budget — our guide to choosing the right fence for your St. Louis home is the best starting point.
Cedar Privacy Fence: The St. Louis Classic
The most popular fence design idea in St. Louis is still a 6-foot cedar privacy fence. There’s a reason it’s the default — cedar looks beautiful from day one, weathers gracefully over time, and provides complete backyard privacy.
Western red cedar is naturally resistant to moisture and insects, which is why it outperforms other wood species in our humid summers. When properly stained (we recommend a semi-transparent penetrating stain), a cedar privacy fence holds its warm reddish-brown tone for 2 to 3 years before needing a refresh. Left untreated, it ages to a distinguished silver-gray that many homeowners prefer.
Cedar privacy fences are what we install most in established neighborhoods like Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Glendale, and Ladue — areas where the natural wood look complements the existing architecture. This Old House’s guide to wood fence types ⬈ covers the different wood species and styles available, though for St. Louis specifically, cedar and pressure-treated pine are the two options that make the most practical sense.
For more on maintaining the look over time, see our St. Louis wood fence maintenance calendar.
Explore Kirkwood Fence cedar and wood options →
Board-on-Board: Privacy From Both Sides
Board-on-board fence design gives you something a standard solid-board fence doesn’t — the same finished look from both sides. Boards alternate on each side of the rail, overlapping just enough to block sightlines while still allowing a little airflow between them.
This is the fence design idea we recommend most often in neighborhoods where both you and your neighbor will see the fence regularly. It avoids the “good side / bad side” issue where one homeowner gets the flat boards and the other gets exposed rails and posts. In communities across St. Louis County where HOAs require fences to look finished from all angles, board-on-board often satisfies that requirement.
The slight gaps between boards also promote airflow, which helps reduce mold and mildew buildup on north-facing sections — a real consideration in St. Louis humidity.
Vinyl Privacy Fence: Set It and Forget It
For homeowners who love the idea of a privacy fence but not the idea of maintaining one, vinyl is the answer. A 6-foot solid-panel vinyl privacy fence provides the same seclusion as wood with virtually no upkeep — no staining, no sealing, no painting.
Modern vinyl comes in colors and textures that go well beyond plain white. Tan, gray, and wood-grain finishes are increasingly popular across newer developments in Chesterfield, Wildwood, and O’Fallon. The material won’t rot, warp, or fade, and it handles Missouri’s freeze-thaw cycles without developing the gaps that wood fences develop as boards shrink.
Vinyl typically costs 30 to 50 percent more upfront than wood, but over 20 years, the total cost of ownership is often lower. For the full comparison, see our guide on vinyl vs. wood fencing in St. Louis.
Explore Kirkwood Fence vinyl options →
Horizontal Slat Fence: The Modern Statement
Horizontal fences have gone from a niche design trend to one of the most requested fence design ideas in the St. Louis market. Instead of traditional vertical pickets, the boards run horizontally — typically with slim, consistent spacing that creates clean, modern lines.
This style works especially well on contemporary and mid-century homes, and we’re seeing more requests for it in neighborhoods with newer construction or recently renovated properties. The most common build uses stained cedar planks with black steel or aluminum posts and framing, which gives the fence a sharp, architectural quality.
One thing to know: horizontal fences can be slightly more expensive to build than vertical privacy fences because the framing requirements are different. The Family Handyman’s guide to fence installation planning ⬈ covers some of the structural considerations for non-standard designs.
If horizontal is the look you want, bring it up during your consultation and we’ll walk through the options that fit your yard and budget.
Aluminum and Ornamental: Curb Appeal Without Blocking the View
Not every fence needs to be a solid wall. Aluminum fencing adds elegance, defines boundaries, and provides security without blocking your view — making it the top fence design idea for front yards, garden borders, and pool enclosures across St. Louis.
We install Jerith aluminum for most residential projects. The powder-coated finish comes in black, bronze, and white, and the manufacturer’s lifetime warranty means you’re not worrying about rust or corrosion in our climate. Aluminum handles sloped terrain better than most materials, which is a real advantage on the hilly lots common across south and west St. Louis County.
For homes with pools, aluminum is one of the most popular choices because it meets Missouri pool code requirements(self-closing gate, self-latching hardware, minimum height) while keeping the pool area feeling open and inviting.
Explore Kirkwood Fence aluminum and ornamental options →
Custom Gates: The Detail That Ties Everything Together
A fence is only as good as its gate, and a custom gate can elevate the entire look of a fence project. We fabricate custom gates in-house at our Fenton shop, including arched-top wood gates, ornamental steel walk gates, automated driveway gates, and hardware-accented designs.
The gate is often the first thing visitors see, and it’s the part of the fence you interact with every day. Investing in a well-designed gate with quality hardware — especially self-closing hinges if you have kids or pets — makes a noticeable difference in how the whole fence feels.
Fencing on Slopes: Solving St. Louis Terrain
One of the most common challenges in St. Louis fence design is dealing with grade changes. Flat yards are the exception here, not the rule — and a fence that looks great on paper can look awkward on a sloped lot if the installer doesn’t account for the terrain.
There are two approaches: stepping (the fence panels stay level and stair-step down the slope, leaving triangular gaps at the bottom) and racking (the panels follow the slope of the ground for a continuous look). The right choice depends on the severity of the slope, the fence material, and your aesthetic preference.
Aluminum panels rack more easily than wood or vinyl. For wood fences on slopes, custom-cut panels are often the best solution. This is one area where professional installation makes a significant difference — the Family Handyman’s privacy fence design guide ⬈ covers the basics, but navigating a real St. Louis hillside requires hands-on experience with local terrain.
How to Use These Fence Design Ideas
Every yard is different. The fence design idea that looks perfect in a photo may need adjustments for your specific property — slope, sun exposure, HOA rules, tree roots near the fence line, and the neighbors’ existing structures all play a role.
That’s exactly what our free design consultation covers. We’ll walk your yard with you, discuss what you’ve seen here (or anywhere else — bring your Pinterest board if you have one), and translate those fence design ideas into a real plan that works for your property, your budget, and your neighborhood.
If you’re still exploring which material is right for you, these guides can help narrow it down: our privacy fence options guide for solid-panel fences, our vinyl vs. wood comparison for the material decision, and our fence styles guide for St. Louis neighborhoods for what works in specific communities across the metro.
We serve homeowners across Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Chesterfield, Ladue, Ballwin, Des Peres, Town and Country, Glendale, Manchester, Wildwood, Ellisville, O’Fallon, Fenton, and surrounding communities.
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