We got the IKEA shelves that are pictured in the butlers pantry photo I posted when we were on holiday in Melbourne, Australia. We don't have IKEA here in New Zealand! Hubby is going back over in May/June so will get him to get more of that sort of thing when there. We would pay about 4x the price for that sort of thing here in NZ. I need to work out what I will do now where the fridge was and there is the angle change (does that make sense?).

Blue gray window frames match the funky roof. The cedar is diametrically opposite on the color wheel as a orange tone. Usually the browner grays (sort of the light shade now on the stucco) do better with cedar to say modern, but since you have the blue gray, allow me to suggest that you just go as dark gray as you can - nearly charcoal on all the weatherboard. If you are in a high heat area (palms might or might not be - that might be the ocean on the horizon which might me an onshore breeze all the time) then you want a white. Not a blue-white but a warm white - bm maritime white is a good choice. With the cedar and the two blue-blue-gray elements, you need neutral without tone.

Hi Ang, I thought I'd follow up my earlier comment with pictures of before and after of pine cupboards I specified to be painted in a budget makeover. My clients tell me people presumed they had purchased brand new cabinetry, so startling was the makeover. Somehow I have put the "after" on the left and "before" image on the right!

I would clean up first. Especially the stuff growing in the paving. Then get gardening with pot plants and start experimenting with different plants and the positions. See what you like and if you can keep it alive! Our house has the sun setting over the back fence and we've done a few inexpensive things to reduce that issue (most expensive were outdoor blinds around the verandah) but for most of the year we just don't want to be out there. It is hard work to keep the plants going in summer, there is a lot of sand due to the difficulty in keeping lawn alive and it is just bloody hot. So, that's why I'm saying clean up, start gardening small and see how you go before committing to structures that might not address the real issues you have with the yard. Just my 2 cents! :)