Hi Aletla, If your apartment is part of a strata make sure that you get their permission before painting anything (best ask then fall foul of them as many courtyards are deemed as common property for exclusive use meaning that the Strata has the last word). If you get permission, I'd be tempted to lean towards a mid gray the same colour as the exterior building so that you're able to blur the lines between vertical and horizontal areas and make the area look bigger. You could think about putting in modular decking that will change the look of your courtyard that can be pulled up and that can be stained to any colour you pick. You would have to ask your strata but if you let them know it's modular and can be pulled up when you leave they should be OK with that as long as it cant be seen easily from outside the property boundaries. Regarding putting up shade - strata will not have any problem if you invest in a large outdoor umbrella as long as you make sure that it doesn't become a hazard during high winds/storms - you wont have to ask them. You can put up outdoor awnings but you'll need to get permission, supply all the engineering specs and your Strata may have restrictions regarding colour and style and may require you to: provide a structural engineers report on the impact, indemnify the building and put the awning on your insurance (a lot of work) and if necessary pay for a change of by-law. If you decide that you cant/don't want to change the colour of your outdoor flooring and as beige and grays are really popular, you could always tie the two together more with outdoor cushions for your seating that feature both of the colours. If you can get a high pressure hose and remove dirt and flaking paint to see exactly what the condition of the tiles are, you could ask your strata to pay for their reconditioning (if you offer to paint them and give them the colour and say you're happy to pay for that then they'll probably say "OK" to avoid costs to the strata as they're responsible for the external parts of your building - remember you only own the airspace of your apartment).

lucky you! your water tank is below ground. I have to look at my 20,000 litre tank outside my kitchen window. It sits on a concrete plinth so I can't even plant around it. I'm too terrified to grow creeping fig on it incase it affects the integrity of the tank. At the moment it has wisteria draping over it, looks lovely in spring but deciduous and it's now becoming too invasive so need to get rid of it.. I also have star jasmine approaching from an arch beside - can't wait for it to take over the tank.. I love all the decorative features suggested but I reckon something like star jasmine might work with some other landscaping features to the side: bench, rock, more plants. The beauty of star jasmine is that it doesn't root, will drape over and can be pulled aside. Every couple of years I put the blower over the top of my water tank it to make sure the leaves don't mulch to create soil on top.

Thank you all for the suggestions. Will definitely check out those plastic systems. While I like the look and idea of plants/ grass I am hesitant about the practicality with cars driving and parking on them. I am worried about them growing and that enough rain will still result in the soil moving. I have attached some pre-rain pics of the drive for perspective. Half of the stones under the carport and a large amount from the top middle of the drive all ended up covering the drainage grill cover which is in front of the garage (behind the car). Thanks again. So stoked my first post here got replies

Probably comes down to your budget. A herringbone pattern would add interest, but may be more costly to lay than a stack pattern. It’s the colour of the paving bricks against your home that would be worth more consideration.