No doubt about it, St. Louis has a wealth of interesting and beautiful homes, not to mention historic neighborhoods. As a premier St. Louis Fence Company, we’ve been able to see many of these houses up-close.
A lot goes into making a nice house a beautiful one. Not only does the architecture have to be stunning, and the grounds well maintained; little details add (or detract!) from a house’s overall look, too: A decorative fence by Ameristar, a colorful garden, an inviting deck that suggests summer-evening get-togethers.
Whether you’re actively looking for a house in St. Louis, or just passing through the area, we suggest touring some of the more historic districts to see some of these houses. Even if you live here already, it’s fun to look at these houses and take pride in your city—and maybe even get a few ideas for your own home!
We’re inspired by these St. Louis homes
If your looking to find some of the best neighborhoods and homes in and around St. Louis, we’ve picked our top below. Enjoy!
Tower Grove Heights Homes
Formerly known as Oak Hill, the area south of Tower Grove Park Neighborhood and Homes has undergone a Renaissance since the turn of the century. Between Grand Boulevard and Morganford Road, there has been an explosion of cool restaurants, bars, and shops. In between these are houses of all kinds and sizes, forming a close-knit neighborhood. In fact, the neighborhood association organizes “Heights nights,” outings to support local businesses, also gives out it’s “Matt the Cat” award to good neighbors, inspired by the search party neighbors formed when looking for a lost feline.
Shaw and Southwest Garden Homes
The Shaw neighborhood is just south of Highway 44, adjoining Tower Grove Park to the north. It’s named for Henry Shaw, the founder of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Both the Botanical Garden and the Shaw neighborhood are sites worth seeing.
So is the neighborhood just to the south and west, aptly named “Southwest Garden” which has beautiful houses (and some cool looking railings– you notice these things when you’re a St. Louis Fence Company 🙂 If you’re lucky enough to hit this area in early October, you can catch the annual Historic Shaw Art Fair, which happens in Flora Place in the heart of the Shaw neighborhood and features artists, entertainers, and local cuisine.
The Central West End Homes
The Central West End is an entire section of town, not a single historic district, though it does have a handful of smaller historic districts within it. The area stretches from the Northeast corner of Forest Park to the campus of St. Louis University. It’s also where you’ll find the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.
At first, a visitor will notice the sidewalk cafes, trendy bars, cool boutiques, and antique stores. But wander around and you’ll see plenty of large, inviting houses— mostly of stone or brick—nestled into their lots. There are a lot of cool entrance ways, too, with some beautiful decorative fences.
Westmoreland Homes
If you want a glimpse into what St. Louis was like at its height, check out the grand buildings at Portland Place and Westmoreland Place, bordering Forest Park near the Central West End. Inside the buildings here, it’s not unusual to see a domed ceiling, marble staircases, and old-world travertine tile walls.
On the outside, you’ll see stone lions, bronze statuettes, and beautiful ornamental steel fences outlining well-manicured lawns. You’ll see a fair share of classical columns, too!
Laclede’s Landing Homes
Most of the locals hear “Laclede’s Landing” and think nightclubs and unpaved brick streets. But this is the oldest district in the city, and so a treasure trove for architecture buffs and history buffs alike. Every building has a story, from the metal polishers that struck for a 9-hour workday to the building where Betty Grable used to work at a produce store before becoming famous.
A good way to see some of these building is from a horse-drawn carriage, and service you can rent during the summer months.
Hi-Pointe/DeMun Homes
While this area is technically outside the city limits (West of Forest Park and South of Washington University in St. Louis) we still feel that it belongs on the list. Here buildings with cut stone foundations, dark brickwork walls, and stained glass are nestled in cozy areas with plenty of trees and parks without giving up that “city” feel.
The area was originally owned by the great-granddaughter of Pierre Laclède himself, and her husband, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005.
What We Love Most About St. Louis Homes
There’s a lot to love about the homes of St. Louis, from the architecture and the look right down to the kind and neighborly people who live in them. Here’s what we find unique:
- The variety. We see homes of brick, stone, and wood, from all different periods and styles. Don’t like a brick townhome? You can get a wood-sided neo-victorian. Or something that imitates Spanish colonial with rough-hewn stone. Or any number of things.
- The space. Being a fencing company, we tend to look at people’s yards. Sure, some neighborhoods have limited yard space. But for the most part land is relatively inexpensive, and so people tend to have nice yards. We love to give them nice fencing for those yards, too.
- The care. For the most part, people care about their outside spaces. We see entry areas that afford privacy and security while looking beautiful and unobtrusive. We see lawns and gardens that are cared for. We see decks and balconies for entertaining. It’s clear that most homeowners really think about their space and how they want to live in it.
We Want to Be Your St. Louis Fence Company
We provide the best everyday value on top fencing brands, and proudly serve St. Louis, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties in Missouri, as well as Monroe, Madison, and St. Clair counties in Illinois.
We can help you get clear on your fencing needs, and be there for you when it’s time to choose the right type of fence for your St. Louis property, giving you the pros and cons of options like ornamental steel, simulated stone, and vinyl. Having spent more than 20 years supplying and installing fencing throughout the St. Louis area, Maintenance-Free Outdoor Solutions knows what to look out for when choosing the right fence for your home.
You can get started today with a free full-service fence estimate.
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