Hi Linda Honestly the suns heat effect on colour is very minimal. Most of the heat will generate through the roof, but even then, the data suggests that this is barely noticeable between differing colours. However, If you are really set on a lighter scheme for the main paint of your house, we would recommend opting for a light grey or white, given your white aluminium joinery. Again, Bodo recommends keeping your exterior paint scheme, simple and neutral. This helps with resale value, and will enable you to bring in the colour that you like with chairs, plant pots etc. Going for a green house, black roof and white windows may start to look like a liquorice allsort! so be very careful. We recommend this Bodo Board for you, which will work with your white trims as well as your roof. The board also includes an interior paint scheme, and suggests other elements to bring your look together! http://www.bodoboards.com.au/collections/paint-concept/products/lavish-paint-concept Hope this helps :)

Photos would help

The 'underneath' is really nice , and that would be my preferred option . The current cladding does remind me of a Queenslander -- well , a Queensland shearing shed . Sorry to be so rude , but it's not great -- even the windows are different sizes ! The only couple of positives ( apart from the obvious fact that it is your home ) is that the windows appear quite dark , and that front stair looks quite pleasant in charcoal or black . The gable in a faded green doesn't help , nor match anything . A green like the Houzz house may suit , a mid blue , a steel blue , a yellow -- hell , most greys would be better , and thats saying something ! So that would be my step 1 . Step 2 would be better steps ! Even if you kept the existing ones , added railings , horizontal boards around the base in charcoal . If you are on a real tight budget , get a couple of sheets of smokey grey perspex cut so that they are about 100mm smaller than the holes in the railings , and attach using 10mm wide strips of stainless steel . Likewise , close in around the base of your house , as you quite rightly said , with horizontal railings , 100mm wide , 25mm gaps , stained charcoal . Maybe do the top rail in the same colour as your gable , so it looks a bit planned and interesting . The side fences -- stain in charcoal . Around the windows -- mask ( masking tape ) and paint in a metallic charcoal so that the sizes appear the same . A front fence would help , but all it needs is a 100 x 100 rail , with chamfered corners , mounted at a 45 degree angle , about 250-300mm above ground level on short posts , stained charcoal too . Add a letterbox , keeping to the monotone theme , so the only real colour is your gable . The life will be , as you said , in your excellent garden , and that is all it needs until you have the $$$ or braveness to go back to the houses roots .

It has a sort of Tuscan/ Mediterranian vibe , and I like most of the features ( that chimney design is clever , for example , and the way the paving is wearing is great ! ) . You say about red trim , but to me it looks like a reddy brown , which suits . The bluey greeny board doesn't suit , and doesn't go with the roof either ( I assume the roof is all those charcoal tiles ? ) . Ordinarily , I'd say to lighten the render and go with a darker board -- probably charcoal , but then thats just a continuation of the roof . BUT I like the weathered vibe of the existing render , and I like how the windows etc works with the render too . So here's my 'easy' improvement -- leave it mostly as it is , but change 2 things . The downpipe and collector near the door ( the single story one ) I'd change to genuine copper ( not just paint ) ; and the barge board around the top I'd change to either crisp white ( the safe option ) or a metallic coppery bronze -- that references the downpipe but also ties in and transitions between the render and the tiles . A bit riskier , but IMO worth trying .