hi Adrian and Erin, now that looks flash! and it is amazing the difference the small things make! we will certainly look at this and Erin, tks so much for the photo. Do you think the new square posts holding up the veranda should be painted the same colour as the windows ( we think we will restore the windows to the existing white) or made a feature, ie maybe dressed timber or another colour? Our landscape plan includes a pergola ( maybe dressed timber or painted white) leading up to the front porch and a few low retaining walls ( maybe rendered or sandstone?) and maybe the post colour can tie in somewhere? cheers kim

Hi Jaimia, I tend to agree with 12sally12 sentiments. Celebrate the house and it's foibles (boxiness, entry, colour, balcony treatment). However it's great to adapt a home to make it yours - just making the right decisions is the hard part! The extent of change depends on your budget and your tolerance for inconvenience. I've listed a few ideas that vary from 'nice to have' to significant structural (and cost) changes. These will affect the colour scheme, and therefore the way it will appear overall. Roof – dark colours appear heavier and more dominant. Your home looks to be built in the 70's, it's likely due for a new roof soon. Consider a fresh new zinc or white colorbond roof. Upgrade the gutters and downpipes at the same time. Balcony – remove the clutter (replace handrails), and extend the balcony beyond the face of the main facade. This will give the effect of elongating the front elevation of your home. The detail of the new handrail extending along the continuous balcony frontage should in turn provide a fresh new look (more contemporary). Arches – these could remain, or go (depending on your desire to keep the quirkiness). These are likely to be aesthetic brickwork only - but check with a structural engineer if these can be removed. Entrance – there are two parts to this: The first aspect is to do with the appliance from the street frontage. Prioritise making the front door the most welcoming part of your home. This can be done with a pathway from the front of the site, with garden areas and great planting to accentuate the entrance to your home. The other aspect of the entrance is how entrance 'reads' from the outside of your home. This depends a little on your location (and climate). As a guide I'd suggest revising the entry wall, including the door and windows proportions to 'open up' this part of the facade to the street. This should be designed in the context of those iras listed above, as well as benign conscious of security and protection from sun loading. I hope this helps Jaimia, (Keep in mind many of the aspects listed above will require structural design asa minimum!) Cathi

It has taken me a couple of reads , but like OkLouise , I think the driveway comes down and takes a 90* turn into the carport ? The next question I would ask is what are you trying to achieve ? Do you need a 5th bedroom ? It would be expensive doing an upstairs one , especially with the existing roofline , but also doing one as part of a new 'building' would also be expensive . While I like OkLouises idea , my worry would be cutting out light to the lounge and living area . A couple of suggestions then -- Suggestion number 1 , assuming you are happy with 4 bedrooms , but want an enclosed garage and a second bathroom , would be to either move the carport forward ( it looks like it is steel framed ? ) OR get a couple more frames done , then close some or all of it in , having had water and waste added to the 'extended' ( what I call the rear ) part of the floor . This gives you a garage or a workshop or lockable storage , PLUS a washhouse ( as a room , or as part of the larger area ) . THEN you can turn the existing WC 90* , and convert the 'entrance way' to the existing bathroom into a shower -- both incorporated as an ensuite to the master bedroom . The existing bathroom and ex-washhouse can be reconfigured ( it looks like non-load-bearing walls , so relatively easy to move doors ) into a new bathroom and toilet area -- most water and services are already installed -- you may need to get a concrete cutter to add a second WC , maybe to move the shower waste ? Suggestion No 2 is if you do want a 5th bedroom and enclosed garage would be similar , but add it all at ground level , using the existing carport as a basis . That way you can add a bathroom , possibly a laundry too , and as per suggestion 1 you could end up with 2 or 3 bathrooms ( your choice ) and essentially a 'granny flat' -- that probably makes the resale better too . To try and reconfigure the existing interior , try and add doors through existing exterior walls , demolish existing walls , try and add a longer hallway , try and extend bedrooms , even to add to that existing roofline , etc , etc would be quite expensive for what it would achieve IMO . Of course , if it is going to be a long term house , then go for it , remodel to your hearts desire , but if you want to try and recoup the maximum in a few years , you need to think what would a purchaser be looking for , and what will they pay ?

Thank you for all those ideas. A modern front door makes all the difference & all agree the lattice has to go. Will definitely recolour the roof tiles, gutters (maybe round down-pipes), garage door & possibly the driveway / path. I like the thought of just rendering or cladding the portico alone. Not big on sparse architectural plantings, but would consider architectural plants lining the path within the existing beds. It was already dark when I wrote the first post so here are some freshly snapped shots. In the process of growing a Pink Wisteria along the garage facia so will have to be careful painting, but should look fabulous in bloom with a dark backdrop.