I personally prefer rendered facades as well (although bricks suit certain types/style of houses better and some bricks can be nicer than others), but I don't mind painted bricks either, which would also be a good way to save some $$... whichever way you go I would certainly contrast the main wall against door/windows/garage/roof to create some depth... either dark windows, doors, etc and light walls (harder to maintain if painting bricks in e.g. white)... or my personal preference would be like a mid-grey for the main walls with white windows & doors, and darker roof & garage door (e.g. charcoal/monument)... good luck and if you want to get an idea of what it could look like before making a commitment, then have a dab at the different materials and colours on: http://www.digitaldecorator.com.au oh and P.S. I would definitely also consider changing that handrail at the front porch steps, and like the above suggestion of timber, will create warmth... but not sure about merbau, can be quite reddish, personally would stick to a more natural looking timber with a clear finish

I notice you have an aluminium screen door. Are the window frames aluminium as well? If so, you can re-paint them using a bonding substance called ESP. This is a link to Bunnings spray version but it also comes in a liquid you can wipe on and off: https://www.bunnings.com.au/flood-300g-esp-surface-prep-spray_p1560212 It's pretty easy once you get used to removing the screen and re-installing it (makes overpainting go away). It means that the paint won't chip off if someone knocks it which usually happens with aluminium and some other surfaces. Answering your questions, if you make the entrance lighter you may not need to make the walls either side lighter. I like dark - it is very dramatic and not as common. If you start with the entrance you can stand back and look at how it goes with the other walls. Also remember they don't all have to be the same. Variation in colour and texture adds interest, just make sure it doesn't look too busy and all the surfaces blend (not necessarily match). Your back wall is plain and straight, so regardless of the colour you end up choosing it will need to be augmented with something. You could try a large mirror on the blank space between windows. Something with a chunky frame in a contrasting colour and you will have a reflection of the greenery opposite. You could also try a reclaimed timber feature or something rusty or possibly a small timber pergola over the back door (similar colour to the window frames) that will give some depth. It's only paint, so try using patches with sample pots before you put too much effort into painting all the walls. Good luck.

Looks fabulous.

Hi, firstly congratulations on your decision to renovate. How exciting. We are nearing the end of a major renovation and choosing the exterior colours was a real sticking point. Most of the houses around us were built in the 1990's and my renovation had the potential to not quite fit in. I had to use a timber cladding to match the existing cedar but the original had been poorly stained and I was never going to get a cohesive match between old and new. I was left pondering my choices. The solution was to paint both but what colour? In the end, I looked at what of the existing was going to be left unchanged. It turned out to be the Karaka Green window frames - not my favourite colour - but in order to work with it I had to pray I didn't offend the neighbourhood. I didn't want the old dirty brown shade and a thousand testpots later, left me with only one really obvious answer. As you can see from the photo, I chose [quite radically] to paint the entire extention in Half Karaka green. It's still a work in progress and in the coming weeks, the rest of the house will be painted to match. I waited for the neighbours - particularly, the old people from the Rest Home at the end of the street - to tell me off for my choice but have been blown away by their reactions. Every last comment has been a major thumbs up. Even the painter - who was highly skeptical - apologised for his doubt, Don't automatically assume your neighbours are going to hate seeing the changes you are about to bring to the area. Which brings me to your planned renovations. I am assuming that your window frames are also going to remain the white colour in the photo. Rather than get all confused about greys etc. Start with them as the basis for the rest of the house and work out from there. If you do that, then I don't think it will be as difficult as it currently seems for you to pick what the rest of the house will be. Don't be afraid to spend money on purchasing test pots. They are around $4 or $5 each and I believe that I probably spent $200. It was worth every penny to me to get a few small off cuts of cedar painted and sit and look at them alongside the existing windows in order to make an informed decision. Good luck. I look forward to seeing some finished photos. I hope to post my finished renovation photos here soon.