Oops! Your trim looks grayish blue to me. Sorry, didn't see it is charcoal until afterwards...well in that case, I think I would still do gable and wrought iron as mentioned but then try a bright yellow, like SW's BEESWAX is paint color. Are you in the islands? Sorta has "that look". Envy : )

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 :)

This just popped up , but I see it is quite old . Did you decide on paint colours ? The roof looks almost a brown tone in the photos , but you say it is dark grey . I assume you don't want to paint that ? If you do , go more charcoal IMO . If you don't , I'm assumimg it will look several shades darker with your wall colour choices . There is a roller door on the garage that appears to be a nice shade of orangey yellow . Personally , I would go with your colour choices , but do all the doors ( roller doors , wooden doors ) and gutterings in that ochre shade . Your terrace I would do in a charcoal , but with the top rail either in the orangey yellow , or a really crisp white . I know that sounds a bit 70's ( although they would have added a lot of ranch brown back then haha ! ) but against the light grey I suspect it would work together well , and look the part .

I don't know how hot it gets in Auckland in summer (I've only ever been to NZ in winter!) but if it gets hot, then go for a pale colour. Dark roofs should be kept for cold places!