This is just like our Mediterranean house in Canberra. It was rendered white which never cracked or got mould on it, though I would prefer it to be done in a modern colour like our current home on the Gold Coast which is a rich sand colour with a heavy bagged appearance that has faded from a strong dark sand. With beautiful dark patterned orangey tiles all outside that reflect their colour on the walls during the day it is quite magical. Roof tiles also spray painted after being re pointed. I suggest you amplify the lovely quality of arches and don't go for what is trendy. But go with colour scheme for the house design. At our entrance there is a built up garden courtyard feature with wonderful iron gates and a large water feature in the courtyard that the lounge room looks out to and has the French doors that also opened onto the courtyard garden. Commence the courtyard wall to the left side of the steps and create a flat area at the gated entrance where we had a north single gate and a west double gate. The Pines were planted on the outside of this courtyard wall and gave extra privacy and blocked the westerly afternoon sun. The house always looked impressive, yet was just a simple presentation.

i love this home. stunning but if you want to detract from the red i would add something on the stairs like sandstone or paint in white as then the stairs are an amazing feature that the eye will zone in on rather than simply zoning in on the red. Design is thinking outside the box. Ask yourself why you hate it and then think of some reasons to change and it may be that you feel it is just to bold and a solution would be to give another focal area

Thanks annb1997 and Bernadette Staal. Bernadette, I do like the red roof; it is the creamy yellow walls and dark green trim that I'm not a fan of... But good point though, my husband actually suggested the same thing on the weekend! :) Annb, I just thought if I incorporated some red into the trim work it would tie the whole colour scheme together. Door is currently same as wall colour, so painting it the red sounds like a good idea. And I do like the idea of fewer colours, then it wouldn't look so busy.... Currently leaning towards the soft sage green, just need to find the right shade now.

I would take the shutters off and see how it looks. And yes to painting them if they are to go back up, paint the windows, the existing painted parts of the porch, gate and the gable all the same warm white colour. The fascia and gutter a warm grey like woodland grey. Some flowering plants will complete the brightening up. You can mKe the whole gable darker, say a 1/4 strength of gutter.