The backyard gets all the attention when homeowners think about fencing. Privacy fences, pet enclosures, pool fencing, those all live out back. But the front yard is the first thing anyone sees, and the right fence there can transform the entire look of a home.
Ornamental fencing is where function meets elegance. It defines your property, adds serious curb appeal, and in the right style, makes a home look like it belongs on the cover of a magazine.
Here are some of the ornamental fence ideas we see working beautifully in St. Louis front yards.
Classic Spear-Top Aluminum
The spear-top profile is the most popular ornamental style in St. Louis, and it’s been popular for a reason for over a century. The clean vertical lines with pointed tops give a home a polished, finished look without feeling heavy or imposing. In flat black, it pairs well with virtually any home style, from a historic bungalow in Webster Groves to a new construction home in Wildwood.
Aluminum is the material of choice for most residential applications because it gives you the classic look of wrought iron without the rust concerns. It’s also significantly lighter, which makes installation cleaner and faster.
Our ornamental fence page shows the styles and profiles we carry and install throughout the St. Louis area.
Flat-Top with Decorative Scrollwork
For homeowners who want something with more personality, flat-top panels with decorative scrollwork between pickets add a custom, artisan feel without going overboard. This style works particularly well on older homes in areas like Kirkwood, Glendale, and Ladue where the architecture has character and the fence should match.
This Old House’s history and guide to ornamental iron fencing is a great read for anyone who wants to understand how these styles evolved and what makes them work architecturally.
Scrollwork panels are available in both aluminum and steel. Steel gives you a heavier, more substantial feel. Aluminum is lighter and more rust-resistant. The right choice depends on your budget and how long you want to go between maintenance tasks.
Pool-Style Aluminum in the Front Yard
Pool-style aluminum fencing, with its open picket design and clean horizontal rails, has crossed over from the backyard into front yard applications in a lot of newer St. Louis neighborhoods. It reads as modern and minimal without feeling cold.
This style works especially well on properties with landscaping worth showing off. The open design frames the yard without obscuring it. If you’ve invested in a well-manicured front garden or mature plantings, an ornamental fence that shows it off rather than hiding it is almost always the right call.
Combining Ornamental Fencing with Stone or Brick Pillars
One of the most striking looks in St. Louis front yards combines ornamental aluminum or steel panels with masonry pillars at the corners and entry points. The combination of stone and metal gives the property a sense of permanence and quality that few other fence styles can match.
This approach works well on properties where the home itself has stone or brick elements — it ties the architecture together and makes the fence feel like it was always part of the design rather than added later.
Matching the Gate to the Fence
Whatever ornamental style you choose, the gate deserves equal attention. A well-designed ornamental gate is a statement. A mismatched one undermines the whole effect.
We design and install gates to complement every fence style we carry. If you want something truly custom, our specialty gates page shows what’s possible.
For broader front yard inspiration, HGTV’s fence design ideas gallery is worth browsing to get a sense of how different styles read in real settings.
Getting It Right for Your Home
The best ornamental fence for your front yard depends on your home’s architecture, your neighborhood’s character, and what you want the fence to say about the property. There’s no one right answer.
What we do know is that a well-chosen ornamental fence is one of the highest-return investments a homeowner can make in terms of curb appeal and perceived value.
Schedule your free consultation today and let’s walk your property and find the ornamental style that makes your home shine.
Kirkwood Fence serves homeowners across St. Louis and surrounding communities including Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Chesterfield, Ladue, Ballwin, Manchester, Wildwood, Ellisville, and beyond.
