Maybe you can take inspiration from the colours in your garden. The lovely rusty plant in the right corner of the photo might be a good place to start.

I'm hopeless with colours so got a colour consultant to choose for our new roof, gutter, eaves and gables. Best decision I ever made. For us the small cost was nothing to get it right.

Hi Victoria

Have you thought about going double strength White Duck? We are a Dulux Accredited painter and often use double strength of the wall colour for trim as it keeps the same tone but is a stronger colour to give a bit of contrast.

Wendy.. I hadn't even thought double strength was possible.. I will look into that.. thankyou

You are welcome Victoria, you can specify any strength of a colour, quarter strength, half, double.........

I can't quite follow what you mean by 'we must keep the red roof' ? Are you not painting it , or repainting in the same colour , or would you consider a different shade ?

Personally , with the White Duck , I'd go for a bolder red roof , with black or charoal gutterings , stay with the crisp white windows and veranda uprights , and the end detailing on the roof , but the window sills I'd do the same red shade as the roof , and the deck a mid grey .

Oh , and also , although its cliche'd , I'd do a 1 metre tall white picket fence and double gates in the crisp white , get rid of the wire mesh haha , so everything about the house and fence looks crisp and themed , but also 'period' .

You are so right

Ooooh, a really dark green, like the car colour (british racing green I think it is called). WE chose almost the same colours for our old queenslander some 30 years ago. The green we chose (sorry, too long ago to recall paint name) matched the green of our border plants (gardenias) and went well with the red roof. Hope you enjoy whichever colour you choose :)

I'd go for a 'not too light, not too dark' grey. i think that would look very stylish with a modern touch.

thankyou so much everybody for the feedback.. great suggestions!.. and yes, the red roof is a heritage thing.. it has to stay.. and funny, Pottsy99 the first thing we did when we bought was to build a 1mtr white picket fence right across the front (with white iron gates).. the magnolia hedge is also planted right across the front and growing slowly.. it is a very pretty (and historic) house in our little town, so I need to get the colours right. again, I appreciate all suggestions!..