Thanks for all the great ideas everyone and sorry I didn't explain the polycarbonate a bit better :) This is along the lines of what we'll be using... http://www.psp.co.nz/building-brands/corrugated-sheeting/suntuf-polycarbonate The area is an absolute sun trap and we're hoping to use it as an extension to our living space, especially on rainy days! I've just sent my husband out to get a few pots of different stains for is to try - darkest brown (cedar) and a lighter brown (rustic oak) both by Cabots + the black we already have. Hopefully we can decide between one of those! I probably should have mentioned we will have black aluminium pool fencing running along the top of the second retaining wall - so the real question is do we keep everything black (pool fencing, horizontal fence, retaining walls and pergola) or do we go with a dark (or even light) brown for the pergola and retaining walls.... We just keep going around in circles at the moment. Decisions, decisions! Thanks again :)

My thoughts are either you keep it a sort of brown but with a more greenish undertone and less "pinky". Resene Pravda would work beautifully. (I have done a house that also had brown joinery). I would change the garage doors to "blend" in with the house colour - don't try to accent them too much. The fence, if you go that direction, would be an even darker "brown" to create a bit for interest and create a bit of depth as you look at your house - Resene Marsala?? Option 2: Go completely different and head back to "white" with a grey edge. I would go for something like Resene Triple Seafog, Resene Double Merino perhaps. What I am thinking is basically a white that has a hint of grey in it to tie in with your blue roof. Once again, don't want the garage doors to be that "light" (ie. the house will look virtually pretty white overall) so probably go a very pale but light grey for the garage doors (Resene Silver Chalice/Resene Quarter Atmosphere). The fence would again head to an even darker grey like Resene Double Stack. The ballustrade could either go back to main house colour white or you could use the same as the garage doors. If neither of these two options appeal then look at a beige but not too much of a yellow undertone. Also have a chat with your local paint shop. Always use testbots. Colour is like a chameleon so it will reflect its surroundings. Love your front door! Perhaps one large, tall as you can afford, pot with a statement plant - wait will you've painted the house first so you know what colour pot. Let me know how you get on.

I'll say it straight out -- I personally don't think the style of fence matches the style of house . But not painting it makes it even more obvious . Maybe you need a new friend haha . Me -- I'd render the wall , and paint in an English Cream , AND do the 3 gables and the boards above the garage door and any other trim in the English Cream too , to tie it all in . IF the bricks were still available , I would have gone down that route , with the rendered fence pillars ( and gables and trim ) in an English Cream , or possibly the pillars in the same white as the house bits , but generally I'd try and go a bit closer to the brick colour than 'just' a white . It's workable , and almost anything would be better than leaving the blocks as they are IMO .

meager light in the kitchen, trying to find paint colors that would brighten it up, I was told whites would not work, I changed the old dark brown flooring to light flooring and now it looks bad big mistake, the kitchen doesn't look anchored, with the light floor, I need some ideas to make it feel anchored again, would dark cupboards work, sorry for lack of photos. Some suggestions would be great