Great choice with the Travertine, my joey just renovated her pool area with it and it looks amazing. I agree with Jenny Torrisi that glass in the archways would make a huge difference. Synthetic turf would be one idea for the courtyard, but it does have to be properly laid. Otherwise if you could extend the Travertine to that area, it would also look amazing. It would contrast well with the plants you have there, and you could add a cantilevered umbrella and couple of large shiny blue pots would add some colour and extra greenery. My big concern though is with those palm trees - quite frankly I find them useless, they provide very little shade, no greenery at ground level and the fonds drop off them indiscriminately and can cause serious injury if someone is in the wrong place when they drop. Lower growing plants in that area would make a huge difference. There used to be a market for established palm trees, not sure if it still applies. As far as the brickwork goes, dark coloured bricks absorb heat, which would make your pool area very hot and the solid walls would do nothing to allow breezes to circulate. I am really anti painting or rendering bricks as that means ongoing maintenance, but would the budget run to cladding the fence at least in a light coloured timber, I think it would give it a more modern look and appear cooler. There is definitely no room for plants, even in pots, but if you are artistic or know anyone who is, you could also attach a waterproof sheeting to one wall and paint a tropical style mural on it. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=tropical+external+wall+murals&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjns-ih0IHQAhVGjZQKHdBHAnkQsAQIQw&biw=1366&bih=638

Hi Amy, Isn't Houzz fantastic - it's easy to spend hours here looking at ideas and hearing other peoples ideas. If you've not already done it, get the high pressure hose out and give the pebblecrete a clean to get the colours to come up (give the lower stones in your retaining wall a clean up too so you can check their colours). Looking at the colour of the pebblecrete now and seeing that the area will be shaded for at least part of the day and you won't want it to feel too dark - especially in winter, I'd go for the sandstone look unless it's completely at odds with the retaining wall. Most places selling pavers will sell you or give you a single paver that you can bring home to check the colours in situ. I'm sure that it will look fantastic when it's done.

Hi, There are a couple of things we always do... we lay limestone copping around the edge with a bullnose as it is easier on wet bellies as the kids climb out. we also always use poured limestone around the edge as it does not get hot underfoot in summer and is easy to maintain with grass around. It also allows a fence to be placed around it and gives plenty of 'run around' area for kids. grass doesn't like salt or chlorine from bombies so again the limestone is a winner in our view. we never have social areas within the pool ie eating etc. you are always going through a gate and it is a pain..... although we always make sure there is plenty of room for sun lounges etc. we also tile the waterline with a black mosaic which also hides the fact that it is a fibreglass pool. Our tiler hates it and it costs but we have won national pool awards doing it as it looks classier. cheers

It’s the wall colour that doesn’t look nice everything else is fine. Repaint the wall it’s easy and you want regret it , use neutral colours but not light go for darker and for the corner I would plant giant bird of paradise either in the huge pot or if possible in the ground but keep it well away from the wall to give it space to grow and give you tropical look and feel. If you are using pots you can have few of them they won’t drop leaves in the pool.