Heres what i was thinking of doing - change the roof and gutter to a dark grey or charcoal ... render the facade and paint a cream colour..changes the windows to a french style ( small squares) .. change the railing to a black traditional one..and put a darker cream trim around the windows and garage door.. Any other suggestions or comments ??

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.

The colonial style in your bottom picture looks nice , but I don't think it would suit your house style . I gather you are older , but the existing colours are from different eras IMO . The burgundy/red colour I like , and although the downstairs windows look quite old , I would paint them the same colour , and the seat too . Upstairs I'd definitely change the window -- the louvres are so dated ! Go a bit bigger if you can , but that may get into structural problems . Have top-hinged opening windows eaither side , and a larger piece of fixed glass in the middle . Either no surround , or a surround to match the downstairs windows and door frame , painted to match . All the roof and side ribbed steel panels I would repaint in a gunmetal grey , and get away from that dark green . The roof on the room to the left I would also do , to 'tie it' in . I'd leave that small roof above the door , and add a roofed gazebbo out the front , with stained or varnished solid wood uprights , and a roof painted in that burgundy red . I would build it to fit onto the lower deck level -- way easier and cheaper to do it that way , as opposed to raising and enlarging the deck . Add a couple of natural timber planters , even a half barrel or two , a shint stainless barbeque , and some charcoal coated aluminium outdoor chairs and a matching glass top table . Personally , I can't imagine a roof / portico attached to the existing house that would suit the style and not make the downstairs ( inside ) too dark . A stand alone roofed timber gazebo would offer the best of both , at a reasonable price . One last idea -- the latticework on the 'fence' -- repaint it an English Off-White , while keeping the rails and posts that burgundy red -- it would add interest and lift it IMO . If you are younger , then go crazy -- bright orange window surrounds , blue/grey render and charcoal roof -- a big round upstairs window , and 6 outdoor chairs , each in a different bright colour !

It is a pretty 'basic' look , but unless you spend big dollars , that is going to be the base you are working from . the first 2 things I'd do , is buy a waterblaster , blast everything especially bare timber ; and secondly , do every fence in a charcoal stain . Personally , I wouldn't paint the bricks , and I'd even hold off painting the block too . That brown peak has to change , I suspect I'd go a mid-Orange , to be reasonably 'sunny' . Red or yellow too bright for the cream and the style ; blue or green too old and too cold ; grey too boring ; black or brown too dark . I the short term , I'd leave the terrace panels , but do the top rail in a bright Orange , and the base timber that can be seen , in a charcoal . The stair railings I'd do in white with the same bright Orange top rail , the actual stairs in charcoal ( you may have to add a white bit at the front of each to meet Health and Safety regulations ) . Windows etc are okay IMO , but add a detail or 2 -- 2 matching $100 letterboxes ; your street number in a nice style , painted bright orange or even apricot , made from ply , and screwed or glued so it is 30mm 'out' ( protruding ) from the downstairs wall between the 2 windows ( maybe off-centre by 30cm for impact and interest ? ) OR maybe on the front fence . Then your idea of plants in big bright pots will really add too . There you go -- $2500 and some labour and some fun and it will look quite a bit better .