Basically , it is all 80's tones , and unpainted fence .

So whats the budget ? Do want to add/alter anything , or just go for looks ?

I'd stain the fence a charcoal , and even though the lower one is done in a nice brown , the whole fence done in that would look old , so do the whole fence / retaining wall in charcoal .

Now the bad news -- the roof needs to also go dark , a metallic charcoal would be my go-to . The walls probably need to be lighter , but one thing I'd try would be that flat wall just in front of where the cars are parked , I'd do in a metallicy steel blue , just up to the fake weatherboards . My gut feeling is that the beige walls will still look wrong , and you'll have to repaint the rest in say Surfmist -- a lighter offwhite with a blue tinge , but by doing it this way , the darker roof and steel blue wall may offset and dampen the beige -- worth a try .

Then , just to finish , the gutters and carport edge -- I'd go for bright red or orange , but a lot of people would probably opt for a Royal Blue or similar -- I think that is too close to the roof and fence tones , and would sooner have a 150-200mm wide bright 'band' , and do the entrance door to match and tie it in , but seemingly a lot of people want to be safer .

From there , you can add colourful big glazed pots , plants down the fence , maybe a pergola type roof over the area where the cars are parked in your photo -- hell , you can do a brick feature wall , or stone , or replace or re-powdercoat the windows in a different ( darker charcoal ) tone , but the above would be where I'd start .

Thanks for the feedback, it’s so difficult to know where to start and this honest feedback is really helpful. I agree that the roof needs to go dark too, don’t want to spend a ridiculous amount to redesign the structure (even though a new/ better positioned window would be a good start instead of the 2 small windows up way too hight). So trying to opt for paint ideas and add ons to keep in the budget. I was thinking some modern external window shutters to cover the current windows (and more) to make it look like a better positioned window in this area, but it’s risky if I don’t find the perfect shutters (example of maybe something that could work attached). I also thought a rock feature wall or something below would help fill this space, again it’s risky as I’m not the best ideas person and it could go either way. Love the fence paint recommend, I also started looking for examples and found one, so might start on that first as it’s something I can try do myself (example i found attached too), then add some potted plants (I was even thinking maybe even a vine /creeper plant along the fence line might help but that takes time to see how it will look). Thanks again for your reply, appreciate it🙏

Shutters

Fence paint

I wouldn't do shutters -- they cut down the light too much , so although it may look better and even like you have larger windows , the darker interior would be the downside .

Having said that , one trick I have used on commercial buildings is to have aluminium shutters ( probably better termed deflectors ) going the full width across the 2 windows , probably powdercoated charcoal . I'd keep them approx the same height as the windows though , so 5 or 6 horizontal 'blades' at approx 45% 'downwards' slope -- it looks similar to those novelty party glasses you used to be able to guy -- almost an external venetian .

It visually looks longer and lower on a single storey , but we've done them to cut down on direct light -- not as reducing as closed shutters though .

As far as stone on the lower panel , I'd actually be worried it looked 'too flash' and a bit out of step with the rest of the house . One possibility would be to do the same along the 'front' where the entrance door is , but only up to the window sill height -- that references the 2 , and would then look planned . I haven't seen it used lately , but I recall 10 or more years ago it was possible to buy 'engineered' schist and river-rock panels -- a more cost-effective option , as long as they don't look too fake ?

I’m with pottsy. Brighten up the weatherboard.
go dark below and add pots with tall greenery in front. Maybe even on the side wall. Fence too.
Refresh the verandah to brighten up, hard to tell from photo.
My first impression was to add pergola over the two cars to square off the roof, painted white.

We need a better picture of the rest of the frontage, it’s too hard to tell on the left of the current picture. Are you looking just to modernise or to improve the street appeal?

It looks like you have a detached aluminium pergola in front of the verandah? The first thing Id do is get rid of that if you can as its enclosed roof blocks too much light and conceals the front left side of the house.

Personally Id paint the house a lighter colour like surfmist or at least surfmist walls with grey roof and window frames combination. Id redo the front verandah with modern merbau decking and merbau vertical poles - reddish brown timber and white / grey combination work great together and the warmth of the timber prevents it looking too monochrome, especially as you have a lot of visible roof and the driveway is also grey. If the budget allows Id also do something with merbau where the cars are parked to break up the wall and roof - maybe a modern merbau skillion or cantilever pergola.

i agree that the aluminium pergola thing needs to go. my only thought is you may be able to use it where the cars are parked as a carport and when needed as a sitting area, reverse the cars out the way.
Another option if you wanted to keep the pergola, replace some of the roof sheets with white ploycarb. this is a very cheap and easy way to let in light. use white as it diffuses light rather then clear as it lets in to much heat and not able to sit underneath. my comments for what its worth 😁

About the suggestions for a dark roof - it depends where you live. In Queensland sun-reflecting light-coloured rooves are far better.

Red anywhere is old school. Be careful with paint choices...cool colours right through to greys are better than reds orange etc. And with the hot sun combined with a hot red - phew !!

Don’t think anyone recommended red….?

Definitely get rid of the structure on the left - looks awful, blocks way to much light, blocks front of house. You may or may not be able to reuse any of it where the cars are actually parked

HU-319610855 From above .... Quote ".....carport edge -- I'd go for bright red or orange , but a lot of people would probably opt for a Royal Blue or similar -- I think that is too close to the roof and fence tones .... ."

Everyone has their opinion... I'm saying I don't like it. Others will like it. It's in comments above.

I'm waiting for Pottsy to show us a photo one day of a good looking house with red/orange/royal blue gutters. It's his odd quirk amongst generally good suggestions. This weird predilection for lurid trims.

This made me smile :)

Have a look at the one titled 'color splash in tranquil setting' -- look at the house , then look at the grey one next to it ( you might have to look closely to make out the grey . . . . . ) .

Just thought I'd add a violetty blue one , as the rest of the colours are as I suggested --

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Love the colourful images pottsy

Imagine any of the pics in grey or beige or off-white , and its not the same . . . . . . . . .

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I thought this topic had already been done to death!! :) Moving on .....