This will look so good once done up.

If you're having bottom half rendered, maybe have some render bands added around the windows to improve the profile? These could then be painted in contrasting colour. Not sure what width would be best but you'd want to keep upper and lower cohesive. Prob best to keep width same as the existing sill.

Some [inspiration[(https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/beach-style-exterior-design-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_10808~s_2310) on colours from the photo gallery. You can narrow the search field with the options to the left.

I just noticed the water. WOW!

Looks like remedial flood cleanup first?

flood was a while ago now...no water in house. House sits on top of sand dune, water table came up after lots of rain. underground drainage pipes put in after this so all good...thank goodness. now to paint the house .tnx for suggestions so far!

You could add some decorative screens to the left of the door to create more interest and balance.

yes thought of that...that side isn't balanced up at all...Tnx

Pauline, please can you go to the photos heading up top left of this page, and put in the correct filters for your house situation, starting with "exterior". Then download photos that appeal to you to an ideabook on your homepage.

That will give both you and us an idea of what you can live with.

ok will do...tnx!

Still no ideabook.

thanks for suggestions..yes a deck is in the longer term planning. We have just bought this old house a few weeks ago but wanted to sort colours first which I find the hardest! we were planning to use a textured paint/render on the bottom half to cover the block work (to a degree) and to waterproof this section as it's in a salty environment being close to the ocean and the previous owner never waterproofed the blocks. thanks for your ideas

yes i like both these suggestions

at the moment the house doesn't have much to use as a trim, windows aluminum frame on top floor but that could be fixed with some add ons I guess

New Zealand home owners use this combo a lot & it always looks fresh to me ;)

Maine barn · More Info

Metung House by Neil Architecture · More Info

new to this site so a bit slow off the mark setting up Ideabook etc so any hints on how i should use things better.... I'm all ears :)

Under the photo click on the "More Info" green writing & then click "Save to idea book" or in other places (like stories) hover mouse over the photo & there is a green cross to "save" the photo. Option will then be to start a new idea book & name it whatever you want...e.g. "House colours"

I love the green...slides the house into the greenery, won't go out of fashion and just change the door colour...guess what? To the same green. Working with green requires lots of samples. I suggest a darker green ...look at the French greens.

Pauline couldn't load her ideabook here, so here's a screenshot

There are a few online painting programmes where you upload your photo and you can infill different colours (usually created by companies who sell paint). They can be really helpful :)

I use this one:

http://accent.mitre10.com.au/virtual-painter/ 

I agree with the charcoal though :)

tnx yes did try one of those sites but the patchy paint job on the house pic didn't allow for a very good 'coverage' so wasn't that successful but I'll try the one u have suggested..thanks for the replies! :)

yes Maureen, render it is...my husband already came to this conclusion..just checking though, by render do you mean cement based?...

How about adding this to the paint, after scrubbing down with a mould prep

http://www.floodaustralia.net/products/anti_mould/VC175.php

ok thanks. Yes just bought this house... so a long term project...it's mainly for holidays with kids and grankids...won't poor buckets into it.. $$$'s that is...but needs a certain amount to bring it upto scratch..once it's done, that's it for us I think...it will be upto the kids who inherit it finally as to what they do...Ha ha..

yes good idea re the Mould Prep...will need it I'm sure..hot and humid area of Central Qld

Brisbane has a lot of houses like this but with a verandah upstairs. Do think about what you'll do later so you can start the way you mean to go on. A verandah the full length of the house will open it up and put a glass sliding door in the lounge room from the verandah - even doors from the bedrooms out to the verandah (...later) to really open it up upstairs for that beach-y feel. You could have stairs down from the verandah, or keep what you already have - which I assume are intermal stairs - and just use those. Whatever you chose for the brick downstairs, do the same with the skirts and guttering and window trims - that would do for a short term fix. Good luck with it all!

yep great ideas...denisreno. yes at least a front deck is planned...it has a back verandah now which catches the south easterly breeze...needs a deck at front for northerly...but a continuation to the side would catch it from all angles..u are right we have to plan for the add ons in the future now...too late later..Tnx!

I like these 2 schemes too...but not sure if the top pic...base colour January Dawn is too light?...they have been suggested to me

The setting is quite tropical, so a darker scheme with white trims has such a tropical holiday feel.

You may consider using a concrete face brick for the lower section. This will be modern, and eliminate the need for painting, while still creating contrast with the upper level.

Try a colour for the main house like Resene Evolution, or Quarter Evolution, both would be perfect for your style of home.

The colour scheme that we recommend for you is our Rainforest Board which includes everything you need to bring the look together!

https://www.bodoboards.com.au/collections/paint-concept/products/rainforest-paint-concept

We would love to see updates as you go.. its going to be great!

thanks very much for your input...great to have a Pro give me advice...good on you! I'll look into your suggestions now...Tnx :) Bodo Boards

Just remember not to go too dark with your colour as that attracts the heat!

yes like this scheme thanks for your help denisreno ...& cloudpants :)

thanks for these comments and feedback...I've chosen my colours with the help of a PRO so it's all good....at last. what a relief :)

What colours did you decide upon?

Check out the colorbond website. They have heaps of options. It's a wonderful website. With colours that work

thanks will do, yes as opposed to other sites which give you plenty of colour options but don't always let u try colorbond in the palette because it's a Bluescope product...

how2girl....looking at using a number of colors to add dimension to the house and try and break it up - which at the moment doesn't have a lot to offer re trims for effect...(windows aluminium frame etc) so...

Guttering/roof color Colorbond Surfmist....House- cement block lower story, Dulux Paving Stone. Weatherboards, Dulux Clay Pipe Half. Door, Colorbond Woodland Grey. Eaves, fascia, back verandah rails and posts etc, Dulux Vivid White...looking at using this but haven't bought the paint so just checking a few more things