I like your house! Even in it's current, slightly battered state it has a definite charm to it. Your red brick is mellow, and lovely, and I'm swooning over the wharf timbers.It's a chunky, rustic, solid kind of charm; and I'd lean into that. I'd avoid anything too "pretty" or delicate, or contemporary, or "sharp".

I kind of like the idea of the bigger roof profile. It feels like it's honouring the history of the house, and works with the rustic-industrial vibe suggested by your wharf timbers.

Cedar windows would be gorgeous, and would pick up on the timbers elsewhere. I hope your deck isn't beyond repair! It would be lovely freshly oiled and looked after.

Regarding fascias etc, I'd avoid any colours that are too cold, given that your brick/render/timbers are all quite warm toned. I actually quite like the red, but if you're over it, maybe a charcoal? Something like colourbond ironstone or monument maybe.

If it were me, I'd put up new timbering on the gable end, maybe matching what was there before? You can see a memory of the old pattern in the paint. A stained, (not painted) timber would be lovely. Again, nothing too delicate or lacey, or fretworky. I don't think your house wants that.

it's a great looking home but to improve the look of the gable ends you could cut the gable back..ie keep the same roof overhang and cut back the extended eave in line with the bricks and cover the exposed structure (and the bricks?) with a smooth surface matching the other side of the house but painted to match the colour of the bricks...OR build out the whole end wall (over the top of the bricks) to create a window seat when you install the new windows and the new end wall would now be the same from ground to the apex of the roof ..there's many alternative roof profiles but the advantage of standard corrugated is usually the cost but consider galvanised steel or the lightest Colorbond colours and improved insulation for roof and ceiling

Hi Michelle Murphy, thank you for your lovely comments and constructive ideas. We tend to agree that we should stay away from anything too pretty or ornate, and really go with the solid, rustic timber vibe.

Our deck is unfortunately beyond repair, but we are going to rebuild with a bushfire resistant material (either hardwood or an ecologically friendly timber composite), and we are keen to keep the same style.

Having read your comments about the red colouring, we are less critical of it, although we will still consider another colour for the fascias.

Regarding the gables, we will definitely consider combining your idea of replacing the timber and oklouise's idea of cutting the gable back, so there is a pronounced overhang. Thanks again!

Hi oklouise, thank you also for your excellent ideas. We like the idea of the window seat, but in the first instance we will try removing the existing gable end and exposing the overhanging eaves as you suggested. We saw this sort of thing on some old houses in Orange (NSW) last weekend and really liked it, so it is uncanny that you suggested it. Do you think we could get away with a gable vent to make a bit of a statement, or do you think that might be a bit fussy?

Regarding the roof, we are considering Shale Grey as it is light (and therefore will absorb less heat), and it it the Colorbond colour that supposedly most resembles old zincalume. However, we are still trying to work out if this works the best with our brick colour. Again, thank you for your advice !

Thanks Michelle - Excellent tip. We were going to go with swatches, but large sheets of painted cardboard will give us a much better idea of the colour. Cheers, Peter

and Orange does have some lovely homes and i know it very well but the gable end vent may be a bit fussy although no reason you couldn't try a faux vent and see how it looks and we have shale grey painted walls with a galvanised garage door and the colour is a very good match so would look great for your roof with the rich colours or your bricks and timbers

Thanks oklouise. Great to hear that the shale grey should work. We will try the faux gable idea as well.

Siriuskey

The following Farmhouse in Victoria by http://www.johnmcauley.com.au/portfolio/ramsar-fields/

would be an excellent way to go with your project cheers

Wow! That’s a really stunning use of red brick, timber and iron to make a lovely Australian farmhouse. Thanks for forwarding. Cheers, Peter

John Mcauley Architect is listed on Houzz this really fits with your house with doing a new roof gives you the opportunity to work with the same material to tie all of the wonderful existing elements of your house together cheers Siriuskey

I like the colour scheme in the John McCauley photos including the black framed windows.