If you use masonry paint, we could head in a warm greige direction for all of it - not so yellow . .. something that can give you a bit more contrast against the white windows and trim - even 40 does a lot for us . . . what about a blue green gray? You will get a coastal / mod vibe and it will relate to the farmhouse look .. .above bm silver mink http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/silvermink and below . . . gilbraltar cliffs . . http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/gibraltarcliffs Shingle look siding on the side dormers would be neat to get that cottage mod. . . you can stick with yellow but I don't think it complements the roof tone. With the blue-green grays, the white windows and trim will really pop beautifully. . . You can also go more neutral with a warm gray - greige . . . here's the siding tone http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/capemaycobblestone paired with this for brick - http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/graystone potential future red windows . . .aluminum pits over time, so if you have just one side you want to try, you don't have to powder coat, you can take a small brush and just do them by hand with latex paint if they are 10 yrs old or more. . . one advantage to gray . . future see [houzz=]

You need light and bright. Being rented is tough. First change out the drapes with to the floor length. Cream with a horizontal stripe of brown to match or furniture. This will 1. get rid of the horrid things hanging there 2. pull the initial visual to that wall instead of the floor. Tall and high colors ( mango, aqua, yellow) decorations on your mantel with shorter cream and brown items. Then a large square table in the middle, painted distressed cream, with high color items setting on it. DIY project or Ikea. Green is the number one calming color, just don't let it put you to sleep. :)

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.