Most cities have rules that limit the height of any fencing that is placed beyond the face of the home. For example, most cities allow a 6ft fence for the backyard, but as soon as the fence enters the front yard it has to drop to 3-4ft. Additionally, the wall or fence cannot be placed at the sidewalk edge but must be set back.

Facing the block wall with stone veneer would soften the effect of the wall, though entertaining in the front yard seems a bit strange.

It seems appropriate to have a fence mounted on top of the retaining wall that would complement the style of the Queen Anne Home.

A terraced set of walls is a bit more interesting that a straight up wall.

I need to see the house and wall . Post pics here in a comment DO NOT start another post. Yes you need to kno the code in your place and sometimes with a heritage home allowances can be made . I need pictures to even begin to guess what can be done.

Cut stone, like granite blocks, would look better than cinder blocks.

Solid walls rarely look good right up against the sidewalk and are illegal in my city. Houses of that era here often had a short masonry wall (brick or stucco over brick unless a really fancy home with stone) that was then topped with wrought iron. People often plant a boxwood hedge directly behind to create privacy.

We have a white picket fence on top of a stone wall on the street side of our Queen Anne. It's probably 5-6' tall. It looks really nice. The white picket fence has some finials on the posts.

Post a photo of the actual home. Yes to a stone or brick wall. Topped by wrought iron or, these days, extruded aluminum. Appropriate but subtle. Elegant. Pickets might be too “country” for the home.

I would think that the answer would depend a bit on the part of the country too...

Find historic photos of the house and see what was there originally if possible-- if the house is tastefully done chances are the fence was as well. It's seldom a mistake to take historic houses back to original appearance. I'll bet it wasn't concrete blocks.

Fast growing shrubs to create a pricacy hedge.

Although i adore white picket fences a black iron gated fence is more appropriate for a historic Queen Anne in a historic city.

Vs this

Why so hard to get a pic of the home and the wall?

If you want to go more historic, concrete block wall is right out, lol. A bit more to the era would be wrought iron or wooden picket fencing. Plantings for privacy. If it's a really plush place, a stone or brick wall if they really want a wall. Depends on the locale if brick or stone was more common then. You might be able to use the current block wall as a base depending on if it's a good solid wall or a decor wall. If it's a solid wall, you might be able to use it as a base for fence or a form for stone/brick. If it's a decor wall, you might be able to remove it and put in something else.

The reason a house that age would have had a fenced lot in the first place isn't for privacy, but to keep out straying animals. A later generation would have planted shrubbery inside the fence if they wanted privacy.

Concrete block is older than people seem to think. Both the *new* part of my grandmother's house (built c. 1890) and the four square I lived in when small (c. 1900) had concrete block basements.

Pickets and iron do not meet privacy brief. Block is pre existing and not in code violation. I'm fully aware the wall is not in keeping with the historicity. Existing home has some brickwork so the plan is brick veneer over the block. Thanks for the responses.

Brick can be nice, I take it you are planning on doing the whole wall as block with the veneer over it then?

They answered but still not one picture

What a beautiful home! Can you take a photo of it straight on from what appears to be the front door? And so we can see the entire front facade?

That's a pretty house. Are you just doing the section of wall that is there, or are you supposed to be replacing the picket fence with wall as well?

Knock down the concrete wall and match the fence you already have plant some bushes on the inside for privacy .

What Patricia said. That gorgeous house deserves better - even with brick veneer onnit, that wall will still detract from the beauty of the home.