I don't mind it. I would clean the tiled roof and driveway. Repaint the colorbond fence white or cream. I'd paint the brick front fence the same colour, unless the bricks are the same used for the house in which case, I would keep them as is, but perhaps grow a hedge behind them to soften the harshness of the brick. The gutters could also be repainted in the same colour. Remove the fabric window awnings. Install a screening box for the air conditioner. Replace the external wall light with something more simple and contemporary. The entrance is the biggest eyesore to me, but I can't tell how it currently functions. Is it an open porch which was closed in with some timber? If so, I would open it up again and get a new front door in a bright, welcoming colour like blue, red or even yellow with some complimentary potted plants. If it needs to remain enclosed, then I think the external panelling needs to be replaced with something much nicer and lighter. The garden could also use a little work. I think some low plants or multiple potted plants could help to emphasise the path to the entry and take some of the focus away from the dull driveway.

Hi eleanorgreen1 Love the house, as others have stated above "great little hat" on the house, Good slope on the roof and great veranda for breezes and sleeping outside. I would be delighted if someone asked me to design a house in NT and I came up with that design. There is a few things that I can suggest and I hope they are of some use. 1. If possible I would dig a trench next to the perimeter of the slab of about 600 wide and 300 deep and fill it with pebble and gravel stones. This is to remove any excess water that may come of the roof (connect it to your drainage system - or lowest point of your block) and also to reduce the possibility of termites and other small critters coming through into your house. Termites do not like ground that might move as they build a tunnel in front of themselves as they proceed forward and any "gravel" or water of any kind they tend to avoid. (Love the termite mounds by the way - fantastic landscape design - at no cost). The CSIRO has fantastic information on termites - I don't think the trench would keep snakes away - hate the little critters! - Taipans - those horrors follow you home. 2. Providing a topping to your slab externally might improve the look especially on the exposed veranda - but the topping should have some form of "non slip" surface - maybe with some carborundum in the mix so that it might not get very slippery when wet. However I think plain concrete if finished with 'hard topping" is an excellent solution. 3. Love the idea of "Screens" but they will have to be securely fixed as they become missile in high winds. 4. I can not see any water tanks or solar energy equipment on the photos - I just wonder if this could be an advantage in your situation. As you have some very large verandas I wonder if large garden pots, something to the size of 800 round and 800 in height, these could still be moved but may break up some of the straight strong line of the house. Even two or three would do he trick. I would paint these with a strong colour to give a focal point and arranged strategically around the veranda. 6. Defining the entry to the house might also provide interest. I think it can be done with the large pots and also with a maybe a little bit of tilework and some form of path leading to the entry. 7. Painting the elevation that contains the entry a different colour might also brighten the place up a bit. I would not paint the whole of the elevation if its the long longitudinal side - just the central part up to a defining area like the first two windows. 8. Some nice landscaping at some distance from the house to be enjoyed from the veranda view might also help (Keep the termite mounds - they look great) There is no plan and no north point so its a bit hard to comment further especially in relation to orientation and internal plan layout. I think you have a great house and some subtle design improvements will make it even better. I would be happy to comment further on this project. Best for the future Regards Michael Manias - mm407p@gmail.com - web: newhomedesign.com.au

DanMac86......it depends on where you live as to how often you would need to paint. I’m expecting maybe 7-8 years. To be honest we cheated so we didn’t have to paint the whole house. We virtually only painted the front of the hours and a couple of metres up the side. You would need to pick your point to stop like a gate. If we didn’t have water views I would have put white shutters on the windows. I just picked that outside colour to fade away the primrose. The other option is to just paint the external frames of the windows which most painters will do. This then gives you the wider options for an external colour. We just didn’t because it’s on the beach and saltwater etc. Good luck! Cass :)

The most important step in the process of painting aluminum storm windows is the preparation work. Paint will not adhere to aluminum that is not properly prepared. You must clean the window frames of all dirt and peeling paint, and apply primer before you can paint the windows.