It is a cottage already. Maybe without her makeup on!
Addressing the front facade would mean also addressing the roof, as it's slope and area is a dominating element of this home. It appears to be aesbestos from the picture, s if it does turn out that way I would recommend someone quoting on it's replacement with a corrugated iron, as they will retain the character, and also have many colours to gather inspiration from. I would suggest charcoal upfront as a grey roof will coordinate with any paint scheme you do or change over man-years to come. Where colour such as green etc will limit your overall colour scheme.
On the covered porch area I see an air-conditioning unit, so you can either screen it or screen it's view. You could build easily with timber frame and battens a timber planter box that goes around the front and side some as box seating, some as a planter for height, it would hide this from street level. Incorporate your verandah posts into this construction. The two small windows could have a shared awning at the same angle as the roof, that co ers both windows, with beautiful period timber fretwork or brackets to support it, using your iron roof offcuts. Window planters or shutters would also accentuate their country style, and use a clever paint scheme to punctuate them.
I would try a neutral, urban colour scheme that works equally as well with country style homes. Slate grey or woodland grey is a colourbond and paint colour, so the roof and window architraves, including shutters, brackets or any features you add in the slate grey. The weatherboards in a colour called urban grey, which is a coffee toned beige not so grey as concrete but in between concrete and weak coffee.
These tones will emphasize and landscape you introduce, greenery, foliage, paving etc will really pop against these calming but accent colour tones.
Match the awning brackets with some on your verandah posts, could be plain but just their addition will really highlight the entrance.
Replace the front security screen with a painted timber one so you see the door, and choose a colour, or stay with the grey. As all timber features would be in the grey so they are highlighted and steal the attention from the plain structure, so too should the fence be. Treat it as a period feature, it will be. It will disappear in the dark colour, and front street level appear to balance the amount of weatherboard with architectural details. Suddenly your ugly duckling will be a swan.
Loads of potential on this one. Loads!
A garden will take it one step further.
I will love to see your progress.
Good luck. ML Design

I'd do cottage charm all the way – picket fence, flower boxes and rocking chairs on the front porch. Definitely yellow for front door.

Hi DeeDee
One thing to consider is gabling - roofing can be a big ticket item ($) and may require town planning/building approval (not sure where you are) - but the wow factor will be worth it. 'Street appeal and charm'!
I'd look at soft colour schemes - say a dove grey body with white trim - or 1/4 strength Hogs bristle with Ambery trim (Dulux). Fence to match of course!

As soon as you put in 'green grass' and a light coloured picket fence - your battle will be won.
Good luck - This is my type of project! I love the ugly duckings...they look so purdy when you scrub em up!
H

Thanks so much everyone for your feedback. I am replacing the asbestos roof and this is a big expense and charcoal is the colour I am going for. Some great ideas and I will play with the colours mentioned and the features and see what looks nicest. I really appreciate the time and thought people have taken and will update as i go along :)

Have you got a floor Plan you could post up DeeDee?

I would go for charcoal with a white trim outside, with white steamer chairs on patio. Get that lawn going and a nice vine with yellow flowers. White timber fence, with raw grey tiles as a path to the front door. A couple of white large pots with white azalea, and your cottage will look stunning!

If we had the floor plan this would be more accurate.

Here's a picture with the Charcoal Roof done, we've also used timber posts and a Weather Tex Classic Ruff Sawn Board (200mm)

Hopefully this gives you a rough idea of how it would look, i also included an image using another Weathertex board :)

Hi I will post my sketch of the original floor plan (scribbled!!) and an outline of the extension I would like.

I am definitely going with the suggestion of awnings and will choose period style awnings above both small bedroom windows (with timber painted brackets and charcoal roofing).

sketch of existing floorplan and also extension idea

sketch of current floor plan

Deedee I cant wait to see this completed, im glad my comments gave you some options, I think the awning is the easiest way to make a cottage out of this house. I have some quick images for you in keeping with my suggestions, that way you can see what works for you and what wont. much easier if you can see things too.
jump onto google sketch up and have a go yourself. very simple to do.
good luck ML Design

I wanted to show you how you could enclose part of the verandah into a porch, that way the aircon unit is screened off, and you can sit out in summer. maybe a birdbath, some hanging plants or a park bench on the lawn. one side of my box seat it also a planter box to screen the side of the drive? the front is seating so hubby can take of your work boots, or you can sit under the weeping cherry in spring. In any case, its simple and affordable, and I think it will add dimension to a flat fronted house. Continue building box layers around the house and porch with layers of hedging, plants and some feature trees.
As far as street appeal goes, people will be wantingto come onto your porch for the pretty view, welcoming.

What fantastic pictures and ideas thanks so much :) I am starting renovations over my Xmas holidays and these ideas are now giving me options I just hadn't thought of!

I hope its not rude of me to ask you if you could change the colour to Brandi's suggestion of BM dove white - but for the trims and a pale yellow for the walls (similar to picture attached) and the charcoal as you have on the roof and awning as you have already done. I have had the image in my mind for months of having a pale yellow house with white trim :)

example

I have done the boards in the butter yellow and left most details in charcoal, although I bought in white because mixing a cool palette such as grey with a warm yellow is odd if on its own. the white goes with either and keeps it cottage. I would do the main features in charcoal, including the window frame architraves but the internal window panes in white.

Thanks that looks great as well...decisions..decisions!! You are so right about the charcoal and white not being great together so I might consider a zincalum roof as per the lighter grey in the photo I posted with the butter yellow and white trim as a softer look. Will have a serious consideration towards the all greys with charcoal roof as I am quite impressed with that as well...

I do love a zinc roof, it will age beautifully and goes with everything. From soft country cottage to sea breeze blue hamptons style maybe you'd feel more comfortable .
If you like both and are unsure which way you lean, a soft dove grey, or duck egg grey which has soft blue through it looks beautiful with white trims and details, as it mimics the horizon. Look at your neighborhood to make sure yours isn't s sore thumb!
:)

This photo is an update of the new roof as well as the "hats" I had put on the windows. Thanks for the advice I received. The front garden has been planted since this photo and in a couple of years should be a flourish of roses and cottage planting. I am going to tackle the rest of the veranda and replace the round poles with wooden posts.

And next some pale climbing roses around the posts and lavenders in terra cotta planters. Flowering trees perhaps? Crepe Myrtle or Magnolia? Jacaranda?

Looks fantastic! As I was reading down the posts I was saying to myself "please don't do a charcoal roof". I thought it would look too heavy. So glad to see you went traditional cottage with the zinc.

It's starting to look very cute - great that you were able to retain all its character.

Just a thought....If you grow a climber up the posts and along the front of the verandah, perhaps you don't need to replace the posts?

Also, not sure if you have done anything with the fence but painting it a dark colour and then growing a tidy trim hedge in a darker green to the same height behind it would look neat and "in keeping".

I am saving for a timber picket fence and the metal fence has been painted white which has softened it a little from the ugly rusty grey colour it was. I have planted lots of flowers and shrubs and in a year they should flourish and cover part of the fence :)

Well done! I can imagine it took a lot of work, and is looking heaps better.