What a fantastic architecture. When you do the brick, if you stain it with masonry /concrete stain you won't have the same issues of maintenance as with paint. They will spray it evenly - through you will have to select a deeper color - either taupe (brown-gray) or a straight charcoal. Love your windows and the classic angled railing. I think a dark gray on the siding will make the orange brick jump even more. What bothers me is the white (railing, fascia, eaves) juxtaposed with the earth toned stuff. So I would recommend camel tones - for the siding - something like http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6108-latte/ and the hopsack next darker tone for the garage door. Use the lighter tan for trim that is now white - http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6107-nomadic-desert/ Use the darkest tone if you are painting concrete steps. If you think you will stain your brick charcoal, then the white eaves and trim are probably right, and you may not want to paint it tan now and then go back. If your brick were charcoal, then I would block out the rest in grays and blue grays - leave the white eaves, but take the railing and posts charcoal too. A blue gray door - like sw smoky blue.

Sorry I am so late coming to your site - you are an inspiration to all, homeowners and advisers alike. For your planting advice, I suggest you call Merrifield Garden Center to see if they will come out your way. They currently have wonderful garden centers in Merrifield and Fairfax (both in Fairfax County) and a new one in Gainesville, but they may come further south to wherever you reside. (www.MerrifieldGardenCenter.com) Even if they don't send designers to your area, they are worth a trip to see their huge selection for a day of pleasure and inspiration, or to pick up some plants. Most of my clients are in the Fairfax and greater Washington area, but I am currently living out west below Front Royal, VA on the Shenandoah mountainside - wonderful views. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Is this a new build? I would suggest you look at each room in detail and put the actual furniture arrangement you will have, to the right scale, and think about how you will move through and use those spaces. Some of those look odd to me, but it may be the way you intend to use those spaces is different to my imagination. The access to the changing room seems only through the Kitchen. and either out the front door or dining and living to get to the pool area. How will this be fenced? Where is washing to be carried from the laundry? Is there a line nearby? Out the front door, or through kitchen dining and living? Bed 4 has to go through a living space to a bathroom, the living room is hard to imagine in use as arranged, and bed 2 and 3 look to have the beds right into a corner for no reason. How would you accommodate a double bed in these rooms? In a few years this may be what you want. If you will have other furniture, draw it in. There a large walk in cupboard/robe off a store room. What will be in the storage room? Draw that in too, so you know there is space and it won't block access to the robe. Many of the storage spaces/benches/shelves are shown with corner shelving arrangements which isn't often the best use of space. Bed 1 looks out onto the front access. How will you provide privacy? What different uses do you imagine in the living, family and rumpus rooms?

I'm wanting advice please on paint colours to update this house. The roof isn't very old and is ironstone (colourbond) so I don't really want to repaint it yet. I don't like the brown aluminium windows I was thinking I'd like to use Blackjack resene colour upstairs and gauntlet downstairs which is (sandstone grey colour steel equivalent). We are also wanting to either replace the deck with kwila wood or take it back to wood rather than paint it? Any advice on colours or deck painting would be great. We also want to paint our fence but am unsure if we paint it white or black? We are surrounded by lots of greenery. Any help appreciated. Blackjack - upstairs Gauntlet (sandstone grey colour steel equivalent colour) Downstairs