With the beautiful brown brickwork you need paint colors in more earthy tones. Cool greys and blues may clash. If you are in a hot coastal climate and want to keep the white make sure it is a warm white. A good field color could be the tan in the walk way brick. Mossy greens and dull golds could also work. Test color schemes with good old Crayola sketches to see if you like dark trim and a light field color or vice versa. Consider a bright pop of color for the door if the rest is very neutral creams and tans. Add lattice and screen to the sides of the foundation to keep critters out. Add shrubs and flowers. You need a tree or two. The porch begs for a swing or rocker.

I had black stone bench tops at our old house. My kids would sit up at the bench whenever I was in the kitchen, so I was constantly cleaning off the little hand prints they left behind which seemed to be more obvious when light would hit the bench top, but it was easy to clean overall. Just moved into a house with a white corian bench top around the kitchen sink and stove area and it shows everything, every splash, bit of dust, tiny speck of whatever, everything. Makes me miss the black stone!

Hi I think it depends on you as a family and whether you want to make a statement or be more subtle. It also depends on what your decor is like inside, don’t forget your front entrance should be the entree to what you would expect to see inside. The colour you choose needs to be bold and high gloss, nothing that matches the facade as it will just disappear. You could look at adding colour through plants and pots if you choose a more conservative colour like piano black.

Mostly good , agree with the other 2 about the windows , and I don't think the glass panels suit the look either . Just a thought -- a larger garden in front of the 'right hand side' with taller flaxes and and conifer or 2 , lancewoods etc may take some focus off the blank ( and lets be honest , bland ) wall , and the smaller than expected windows ?