The White Picket Fence - A symbol of the American Dream (Benton: new home, neighborhood)

[cjs123]

Nothing to do with the HOA situation, but this thread just reminded me of a house I walked by a long, long time ago; white picket fence, dark blue lobelia as the yard ground cover interspersed with white daisies. Looked like they had a sky in their front yard. It was gorgeous, unique, and yes, even charming.

I like picket fences, but nobody has fences at all where I live now (which is fine).

[aquietpath]

Hard to say these examples are an eyesore and should be banned.

https://topdreamer.com/white-picket-...e-you-say-wow/

[rfomd129]

Originally Posted by aquietpath

Hard to say these examples are an eyesore and should be banned.

https://topdreamer.com/white-picket-...e-you-say-wow/

So beautiful! You've got me thinking now about our own lawn (no HOA involved in our landscaping choices.)

[ABQConvict]

Originally Posted by KMerendino

If you think of it, a true "picket fence" is not functional at ALL. It's not a "privacy fence"...it most cases, in fact all, you can see right through them, and you can jump right over most of them!.....soooooo....they have no practical function - they are purely "decorative" hence many HOA's might likely have something to say about them - lol

You are looking at the function of a fence solely as something that provides security.

A picket fence absolutely has practical functions. Picket fences:

1. serve as a property line marker like a hedge, row of plantings or low wall or stone border.

2. prevent people and animals from straying into gardens and lawns. No one likes it when the neighbor kid rides his bike across your grass, when Rover pees in the peonies, or when the mailman blazes his own path from the sidewalk to the front door.

3. creates a sense of space. Phychology tells us that many people derive a sense of pleasure and relaxation from sectioning off spaces whether with fences, walls, or plantings. This is a foundational principle in landscape design and can be found in examples of functional and decorative landscape design from antiquity to the present. The short front yard fences are a manifestation of this human urge.




Now I can see framing a "white picket" fence as a particularly dated iteration of what I described above. In particular, I think they fit in best with 19th-early/mid 20th century styles of houses.





I think they do look mismatched against certain types of architecture, especially modern styles, where there are other styles of low fence/wall/hedge that might look better (in my eye). But to say that they are devoid of function is a bit of an overstatement.

[vcvs]

@ ABQConvict … Great post! I enjoyed reading and the pics!

[Weaubleau]

Originally Posted by sub

The only thing modern about this house might be the use of grays instead of tans on the interior:
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5_M96854-15282
If that thing is allowed, they shouldn't be restricting any type of fence whatsoever.

A white picket fence most likely could only help the place honestly.

Yeah this house offends in many ways:
Monochromatic
Presents its garage as its main protrusion to the street giving it a snub nosed unbalanced look
Recessed gloomy entryway hidden away.

I thought these things were now cliched enough that they would not be done on most new construction, I guess not...

[LynnElm]

I’m curious as to why the POA does not like white fences? I have seen the many old looking, wooden fences in many of the real estate sales listings. To me they are more of an eye-sore and not aesthetically pleasing. I’m curious does the POA have requirements on the upkeep of the wooden fences, i.e. faded wood, rotting wood, splintered wood?

[vcvs]

Originally Posted by LynnElm

I’m curious as to why the POA does not like white fences? I have seen the many old looking, wooden fences in many of the real estate sales listings. To me they are more of an eye-sore and not aesthetically pleasing. I’m curious does the POA have requirements on the upkeep of the wooden fences, i.e. faded wood, rotting wood, splintered wood?

Who knows..
The POA, or more so the ACC makes the rules regarding aesthetics. If you choose to repaint your house, you take your color sample to them. They look at it and say “that works”, or “that’s not allowed”. That’s my experience. I walked in to the ACC office and the guy looked at my color sample and said, “that works”. He didn’t ask me for the color code, color, or anything. It appeared to be at his discretion. I paid my $75 for the paint permit and left.

To your point.. we have wooden fences in some areas that have aged, even falling apart, and look horrible. No action is taken by the ACC (unless you paint it white..)

[sandramast]

As of Sept 10th I will officially be a BV POA member. So I am voicing a preemptive opinion here and personally, I think the white fence regulation is an unreasonable infringement. Now, if say they outlawed neon green I might be willing to support the regulation. But hey, a white fence? Really?

[vcvs]

Originally Posted by sandramast

As of Sept 10th I will officially be a BV POA member. So I am voicing a preemptive opinion here and personally, I think the white fence regulation is an unreasonable infringement. Now, if say they outlawed neon green I might be willing to support the regulation. But hey, a white fence? Really?

A house up the street from me is painted lime green.. like South America type decor. Not neon green, but close.
And if I haven’t said it already in another post, white ‘house’s’ are also outlawed in Bella Vista. But lime green.. good to go!