DIY Whimsical Outdoor Living Room Fence

Good things come to those who wait. That’s my feeling about my backyard fence. I started this DIY outdoor project last year and I finally finished it up this year!

Whimsical Outdoor Living Room Fence sos

My old backyard fence was, well, old. And tired. It was constructed (I use the term “constructed” loosely) with some 3’ rolled fencing and wood posts (I use the term “posts” loosely as some of them were actually recycled landscaping timbers. Ya know, the kind that are meant to be stacked on edge, not stood on end) perforated with termite holes. Oh, and the fence was a little really twisted from when I ran into it with the tiller! That old fencing twisted around the tiller blades like cotton candy around a stick! This fence was a sad site for sure. I think I may have actually heard my neighbors laughing at it as they walked by. Being old and unsightly wasn’t the only issue, it provided absolutely no privacy for my backyard.

1 backyard before fence sos
My tired fence as it appeared in early 2014.

It was time to think about a replacement. But if I was going to build a new fence it needed to meet three requirements. It had to be attractive, it had to be unique and it had to provide privacy without looking like a fortress.

A few years ago I found a pic of old screen doors repurposed as an entryway to a garden. I would love to give credit to who came up with this idea, but I’ve had this pic saved on my desktop for years and I’m not sure where it came from. Please send me a message if you know the creator.

screen door fence inspiration
The inspiration for my fence redesign.

I love the double doors! How unique to have a double door garden entrance. I also liked the peak over the doors. It’s so different than a common flat arbor entryway. I had to incorporate this idea too.

The whole thing reminded me of entering someone’s house… like walking into a living room. Hey, wait a minute! There’s an idea… what if incorporated the double doors, the roof peak and added some windows on either side of the doors to mimic the facade of a house… like you were walking into a living room… AN OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM!

Now my creative juices were flowing! The former owner of my house was a big repurposer and she loved windows. She left a pile of old windows in the shed. Treasures she recovered from the landfill, collected from neighbors or picked up alongside the road. I had found some windows too, a few basement windows here and old storm window there and added to her collection over the years. I never had a use for them… until now!

I immediately began measuring the windows, measuring the footprint of the old fence and researching types of fencing. The first step was to create a plan, so I drew one in SketchUp. This was going to be great! The double doors would provide some much needed privacy, but what about the fence and window areas? Would they be tall enough to provide privacy? Perhaps if the windows had shutters? That would provide some additional privacy and pump up the whimsy factor!

Fence sos

So here’s what I came up with. What do you think? I think it’s attractive, unique and it provides privacy without looking like a fortress. And one more thing, it’s totally whimsical. And best of all, it makes me smile every time I look at it 🙂

Here’s some pics of the build:

This is where it all started. The first section is installed!
This is where it all started. The first section is installed!
All of the posts and fence sections are installed.
All of the posts and fence sections are installed.
The basic frame is complete!
The basic frame is complete!
Thanks to a paint sprayer, I was able to stain the entire fence in one day!
Thanks to a paint sprayer, I was able to stain the entire fence in one day!
The windows are installed and that's as far as I'll get for 2014.
The windows are installed and that’s as far as I’ll get for 2014.

There is still some work I would like to do. First is to finish the landscaping. Right now it’s surrounded by Shasta daisies and a bunch of weeds. I plan to dig up all of the daisies. Of course I will replant them, but want to till the area, add some peat moss and some mushroom compost.

For 2015 shutters and whimsical colors are added to complete the look.
For 2015 shutters and whimsical colors are added to complete the look.

I have lots of perennials that need to be divided, Irises, Lamb’s Ear, Bachelor Buttons, Rose Geraniums and much more. I also have a rose that’s really in the way by my shed that will be relocated to the Outdoor Living Room.

There are some finishing touches I have in mind for this area too. I’m sure I’ll add a few of my Birdhouse Wind Chimes (plans available here). But the real magic will happen around the windows and around the door area, but I’ll keep those as surprise for now 😉

Hope you enjoyed my fence project as much as I enjoyed creating it. What finishing touches would you add? Window boxes with annuals? Wreaths on the doors? I’d love to know your thoughts.

fence 8 sos

One Comment

  1. I adore this fence. Moving to my hubbys childhood home and need some privacy in the back yard. I had seen a double door entrance to a flea market in MT a few years ago and loved the idea so was wanting something similar. It’s so great seeing yours with all the beautiful colors and the windows.

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