What are those fence looking things on the roofs of expensive homes for? decoration?

Question

they're normally white and the area fenced in is typically small i suppose.. ive never actually SEEN one up close..

Answer 1

Houses once had small areas to walk out onto, small balconies.  They were called 'widows walk'. A widow's walk is a flat area at the peak of a roof that has a railing - a porch on top of the house, for lack of a better description. In coastal areas, sea captains' wives would supposedly watch the horizon for their returning husband's ships from that high vantage point. Many widow's walks have no access points and are strictly decorative.  :)

Answer 2

If I am correct at what you are referring to, They are called widow walks, I've read their origin came from old maritime days when the sailors would go to sea, their wives would walk this watching for them to return.