Gate Design Ideas
Five styles we build most often, what each one is good at, and where it tends to go wrong. Every gate on this page was designed, fabricated, and installed by our own crew.
Design is the easy part to fall in love with and the easy part to get wrong. Slat spacing changes how private a gate feels; a solid panel changes what the wind does to it; a slope at the street changes whether it can swing at all. Browse the styles below, then read the custom gates guide for the sliding-versus-swing and material comparisons that decide which one you can actually build.
Modern horizontal slat
Clean horizontal lines in steel or aluminum, powder-coated matte black or bronze. The most-requested look on new builds and mid-century remodels across the Valley — it reads contemporary without losing privacy.
Ornamental wrought iron
Scrollwork, forged pickets, and cast finials. The traditional Southern California gate — at home on Spanish Revival and older estate properties, and the style that ages best when it is built from real stock rather than stamped panels.
Privacy and solid panel
Full-height backing behind the frame so nothing shows through from the street. Worth knowing before you commit: solid panels catch Santa Ana wind, so they need heavier posts and, on a slider, a stronger operator.
Ranch and estate
Wide, low-slung openings with tube-steel rails and pipe corners, often paired with matching perimeter fencing. Common on the horse properties and larger lots in Santa Clarita and the northern Valley.
Pedestrian and garden gates
Side-yard, courtyard, and walk gates — usually the first thing a visitor touches, so hardware and latch quality matter more than they do anywhere else on the property.
Ready to price one of these?
We fabricate and install across Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Start with your city:
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