If time and budget permit I would add horizontal screens (timber stain or charcoal/woodland grey) from the right pillar to the garage (hiding the down pipe) and from the left corner of the house (hiding the bins) Do basic landscaping, two narrow beds either side under the windows, bark mulch and simple plants e.g. Lomandra longifolia (a native low grassy dark green clumping plant) is common but easy spaced every 30 cm Valuers like safe and neutral schemes, so keep with the Woodland grey roof/fascia & Classic cream garage door and repeat this on the upper feature slats for now. Then add a warm complimentary colour for the front door, this is Dulux Rodham Then get a lush new plant for that pot too. If you keep it simple (KISS Principle) for now it will come together for sure :)

Go grey as advised above, don't paint window frames if they are metal but leave alone, plant sasanqua camelias along the side boundaries (they can be hedged) to screen out neighbours & add greenery plus colour, landscape the front. Don't do white stones as they look dirty after a while and are blinding in the sun. I'd get rid of the stones altogether. If you are a gardener, put in box hedging and some standard roses (yes, I know done to death but they are charming), or draw up something on paper first - play with shapes. A garden makes a house look good.

Plaster damage like yours is most often caused by insufficient or damaged / bridges damp proof course around the perimeter of the external walls.Damp is wicking up the walls. The damp proof course can be a slate layer placed between the lower brick courses in older homes , or more common ( and better ) , a strip of thick black plastic placed between the lower brick courses to stop the damp from entering the wall. The damp mortar is is raked out and the plastic inserted a section at a time , and the brick joint is re - pointed with fresh new mortar. No simple/quick fix I`m afraid.

Render isn't much different in tone to the brick , so won't achieve much IMO . In fact , if you look at photo there are shadows and shading -- you'll get those on render too . The timber is nice too , and that entrance with the high focal point works too . The roof colour isn't all that coastal , but its not bad either . So what does that leave ? What isn't all that coastal ? Ummmm -- yep , the garden ! The path leading to the front door -- do a taller garden on the left hand side -- conifers and flaxes and stones and grasses . Maybe another palm , in the middle of the lawn ( the one partially seen might even be your neighbours ? If hubby is a brickie , is he up for your stone front fence ? Similar but different skills , but will save a heap of labour if he can . Or even white bricks -- that , with the battens the same tones as your trim , will tie it all in . In fact , I think all stone would not tie in with the house , unless you add some stone to the house too -- and then you'd ask why ? And why not do a white life ring somewhere along the battens on the front fence ? If it looks tacky , take it down haha , but worth a try to get more of a coastal vibe ?