The Best Styles of Privacy Fences for Every Budget and Home Design

Let’s talk about the home market in Northwest Arkansas right now. It’s booming. You can almost hear the nail guns in the distance if you stand still long enough.

If you bought a house in Fayetteville recently, you’ve probably noticed the property lines are getting a little…friendly. Whether you’re in a new subdivision out west or tucked into an infill lot near the University, your neighbors aren’t far. Close enough that you start learning their weekend routines without ever being invited.

That’s usually when you grab your phone and search for “fence builder near me.”

And the results come back with a nice long list of names…which is helpful in the same way a phone book is helpful. What they don’t give you is the part you actually need: design advice. A fence isn’t just a wall. It’s the picture frame around your house. Put a tired, dog-eared picket fence in front of a clean Mid-Century Modern place and the whole thing looks like it got dressed in the dark. Wrap a historic craftsman near Wilson Park in stark white plastic and it doesn’t look “updated.” It looks like a bad decision you made in a hurry.

You don’t need the fanciest fence in town. You need the right fence for your house, your yard, and your budget.

As a local Arkansas fence builder, Superior Fence & Rail has seen every type of home this region has to offer. We’ve broken down the four most popular home styles in Fayetteville and matched them with two privacy options: The Upgrade (for when you want to splash out) and The Smart Save (for when you need quality on a budget).

1. The Modern Farmhouse

Where you see them: Everywhere. Especially in the new developments in West Fayetteville and the sprawling lots in localized subdivisions.
The Vibe: Black window trim, white siding, natural wood columns, and clean lines. It’s rustic but sharp.

Option A: The Upgrade (Heartwood Vinyl)
If you want to nail the aesthetic without ever picking up a paintbrush, you want Heartwood Vinyl.

• Why it works: It features a hyper-realistic wood grain texture (in colors like Golden Oak or Red Chestnut) that mimics the timber accents on your porch. It gives you the warmth of wood to contrast the white siding, but because it’s high-tech vinyl, it won’t rot in the Arkansas humidity. It’s the “forever” fence.

Option B: The Smart Save (Pressure-Treated Board-on-Board)
If you love the smell of real timber, stick with Pressure-Treated Pine, but upgrade the style.

• Why it works: Don’t do a standard flat fence. Ask your fence builder for a “Board-on-Board” style. This overlaps the pickets to create full privacy (no gaps as the wood shrinks) and adds a heavy shadow line that matches the chunky architecture of a farmhouse. It will eventually turn gray if you don’t stain it, which actually fits the farmhouse vibe perfectly.

2. The Historic Craftsman / Bungalow

Where you see them: The Washington-Willow Historic District, Wilson Park, and the streets radiating out from the Square.
The Vibe: Deep porches, tapered columns, brick accents, and lots of character.

Option A: The Upgrade (Cap & Trim Cedar)
A historic home deserves a furniture-grade fence. A Cedar Cap & Trim fence adds a horizontal top rail and a decorative cap to the posts.

• Why it works: It looks finished. It mimics the detailed trim work found on Craftsman homes. Cedar is naturally resistant to insects and rot, and it ages into a beautiful silver-gray that looks like it’s been there for fifty years (in a good way).

Option B: The Smart Save (The Shadowbox Upgrade)
Use standard pressure-treated pine pickets, but install them in a shadowbox pattern (alternating pickets on each side of the rails).

• Why it works: It looks intentional from the street, it looks just as good from inside the yard, and it lets light and air through so the fence doesn’t feel like a solid wall. It’s a noticeable style upgrade without needing cedar.

3. The 1970s Ranch / Traditional Brick

Where you see them: The established neighborhoods in East Fayetteville, near Mission Boulevard and Root Elementary.
The Vibe: Low profiles, brick facades, and large, established trees.

Option A: The Upgrade (Trex Seclusions)
If you want total privacy and zero maintenance, look at Trex Composite Fencing (specifically in Winchester Grey).

• Why it works: The matte, stone-like grey color blends beautifully with red or brown brick. It’s heavy and substantial, just like the house. Plus, the interlocking design blocks sound, which is great if traffic has increased on your street over the last decade.

Option B: The Smart Save (Tan Vinyl)
White vinyl can sometimes look too bright and “plastic” against an older brick home. It pops too much.

• Why it works: Switch to Tan or Clay vinyl. These warmer earth tones blend into the landscaping and complement the brick rather than fighting for attention. It’s usually the same price point as white vinyl, but it looks significantly more expensive and intentional on a Ranch-style property.

4. The Modern “Infill” Box

Where you see them: Popping up on vacant lots downtown and near the Razorback Greenway.
The Vibe: Flat roofs, metal siding, vertical elements, and an industrial edge.

Option A: The Upgrade (Custom Horizontal Aluminum/Vinyl Hybrid)
Modern architecture loves horizontal lines. A standard vertical picket fence fights against the design of the house.

• Why it works: A horizontal fence (where the boards run left-to-right) makes a small city lot look wider. Using a mixed-material fence—like black aluminum posts with vinyl infill—matches the industrial-chic vibe of modern infill homes perfectly.

Option B: The Smart Save (Horizontal Wood)
You can achieve the same geometry with wood.

• Why it works: Ask your fence builder to run pressure-treated deck boards horizontally between the posts. It’s a clean, minimalist look that mirrors the siding of modern homes. Just be aware: horizontal wood fences need thicker posts to prevent sagging, so make sure your installer knows the engineering behind it.

Why Fence Builder Searches Are Tricky in the Ozarks

When you search for a fence company in Fayetteville, the search engine doesn’t care about topography. It just lists businesses.

But we live in the Ozarks. Very few yards here are flat.

If you hire the cheapest option from your “in my area” search, you might end up with a fence that “steps” down the hill, leaving massive triangular gaps at the bottom where your dog can escape.

The “Racking” Reality:
Regardless of which style you choose (Farmhouse, Modern, or Traditional), you need a builder who knows how to “rack” a fence. This means building the fence to follow the slope of the ground smoothly, inch by inch.

• Vinyl & Aluminum: Superior Fence & Rail uses products engineered to rack significantly, hugging the hills of NWA without snapping.
• Wood: We stick-build our wood fences on-site (rather than using pre-made panels) so we can follow the contour of your specific yard.

Build the Fence Your House Deserves

A fence is a big investment. It’s the first thing people see when they drive by and the last thing you see when you look out your window.

Don’t settle for a mismatch. Whether you want the premium look of Heartwood or the smart value of pressure-treated pine, we can help you design a fence that fits your home and your budget. Stop scrolling through generic search results. Contact Superior Fence & Rail of Northwest Arkansas for a free estimate. We’ll walk the yard with you and help you design a fence that looks like it belongs there, at a price that makes sense for you.