Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Dressing Up Your Chain-Link Fence

This caught my eye last summer when I was in Sweden. I was very impressed.

A cleverly disguised chain-link fence
Depending on the length of the chain-link fence, it might not be very expensive to buy the tiles. These look like plastic to me, and they're not half bad. The silvery white lamp is a nice touch at the end. The industrial gray post is complemented by the natural gray of the stones. The stones also suggest a pleasing solidity. That's something that bothers me about chain-link fences: although I know they're very strong, they tend to rattle in the wind and look flimsy. But these stones, along with the tiles, give the fence some weight while conveying a sense of cozy enclosure.

One very good question is how those tiles are stuck on. If I were to attempt this--and I'm considering it--I might start with simple kitchen and bath caulk. I think I could scrape it off if necessary. Maybe sticky-backed Velcro would work. For some reason I balk at the idea of making it more permanent. What if a tile breaks and I can't find a replacement? I also think smaller tiles might stay on more securely.

In any case, I'm charmed. I will be keeping an eye out for these tiles!