It would be good to use Dulux fine Texture Outdoor paint with a texture/spaghetti roller in a sandy (pale yellow) light to mid colour range on the all brickwork, including fence. Horizontal powder coated steel inserts to fence to finish it off in a the same blue as roof, guttering, etc. Leave the garage door colour as is (blue). I'd take out the tree you have planted in front yard as it just doesn't look right and will give you financial pain as it's roots damage your drains, and home. Just have one or two blue large round (you already have lots of straight lines) planters near or on the entrance to doorway. Large succulents like Agave in the pot would look striking and need little watering. Plant dwarf or regular Lilli Pillies on the council strip on both sides of corner in a line about 1.5 metres apart. They are a very fast growing native, that don't drop very many leaves and only need watering in the initial stages. They also are more tall than wide. This will give you more of a private, lush feel without the problems of planting trees in your extremely close front yard. Don't go with any suggestions of hedges....they are fickle and the work involved to keep them looking sharp would be horrendous. You just want to enjoy your home, not be a slave to it! Good luck:)

Wish i found this Q &A before. So many beautiful people advising and sharing here! I am Repainting Tropical Queenslander with dark red and orangy timber floors and this thread is so helpful. I painted Whisper white and it is throwing so much Green it makes me so sad I am going to repaint. I get loads of tropical sun in the north facing - with eastern morning sunlight. Was just about to go and buy Natural White just to cover it. Do you think it will be too dull/warm a colour. I do like a fresh feel and contrasting with vivid white decorative trims. The whisper white looks nice For a while in the morning while the morning sunlight throws read up onto it but then it returns to a green

Thank you so much, Julie. I thought you would be interested in the end result, given how much encouragement and advice you so generously gave me. :-) I do love it. It has made such a difference and I think (fingers crossed) the landscaping will give it the finishing touch. We are reroofing the pergola, so will post photos when that is completed. The gazebo looks great after its facelift, too.

We eventually decided on Dulux White Duck for our exterior, with the garage door in Basalt, like the guttering. I’m not a huge fan of shutters, but they seem to make the windows bigger, so I left them, as the awning fittings, which will be reused with different fabric, we’re done originally to accomodate the shutters. We’ll box in the hideous columns, which are (far too) white, and then will repaint them. I’m now trying to choose exterior lights. I don’t like coach lights, like the existing lights, but don’t want to get something too modern, which would suit the house, even though I like modern fittings better. So...white? black? Stick to a more modern style of coach light? I’d really appreciate any ideas. Thanks