I think a lick of paint will do wonders! Not sure what colour though. Maybe just a touch up of the original colour as it does seem to have faded a bit?

arrangements of internal rooms will effect suggestions please post a floor plan upstairs and down (including measurements) to encourage ideas

I will be very specific here and I hope some of it helps you...no particular order

1. Get a front fence

2. Paint everything that is cream a very light grey and everything that is green a dark grey. Garage door and front door (assuming it can be seen when the tree goes) a bright colour like orange or yellow.

3. remove the basketball ring and the tree..keep the palm

4. The top level looks like an enclosed verandah so that might need to be restored fully or partially depending on the floorplan.

Some good ideas above , BUT personally , I'd want to know what you want to achieve . Do you want to resell in the shorter term , say 2 to 5 years , or is it going to be a family home , a beach house that is used a few weeks a year ? Do you want to go modern , retro , 'beach' , upmarket ? Is your budget a coat of paint , or all new windows and multi-dimensional additions ( similar to the photos celerygirl uploaded ) ?

I assume the garage on the left is part of the property ( it looks a different height and different colour shade to the rest of the house ) , and I assume you were thinking of adding the carport/deck in front of that ? Likewise , to the right appears to me that orange plastic temporary fencing ?

Your carport/deck idea ( done properly ) seems like a fair amount of work and expenditure for not much real gain -- it would be big money to make waterproof , and add screens and garden and barbeque area on top , to make it reasonably private but usable . Even then , the carport area has very little security , so if it is to used as a holiday home , not much security for say a boat or similar .

Without turning this into a novel then -- a budget idea , similar to others . . . . . repaint or touch up ( if the left side garage is yours , and is a different shade , either match the rest of the house , or go for a complementary but contrasting colour -- maybe a light blue or burnt orange or lemon . I'd ( again stealing ideas from above ) paint both the garage doors a bright red or orange or yellow , the front door ( that I assume is behind the tree ) the same , and also the gutters and barge board the same colour . Done right ( i.e. planned and chosen in advance ) this would add some colour , tie everything together , but also by doing the 'top' of the house ( the gutter or barge board -- the top 150mm or so ) in a bright colour , it emphasises the length of the house .

Oh , and add a wooden ( stained brown or black ) fence to replace the orange stuff , or go 'solid' ( plastered ) painted the same beige as the house , and personally I'd add a white stone garden in front , with beach type cactus , yukka , and similar style plants ( easy care ) .

Withe bigger budget though -- well , thats a whole book in itself haha . . . . . .

I think that along with some fresh paint you could laser cut screens to add some privacy and some decorative elements.

I think if there is anything that can be done to take away the "boxeyness" of the front of the house will be fantastic. Your idea of a carport is great and then you can add a deck / viewing platform on top of the carport and the rest could be decked out as well. You need plenty of space to be able to set up the BBQ, picnic table, outdoor lounge. Maybe some areas covered some not. By-fold doors from a lounge / dining room or similar to give the indoor outdoor flow. The world is your Oyster but your budget is probably not. More plants or large rocks and plants.

From what I see, balconies on the fronts of houses facing roads are rarely used.

I like its squareness. You should work with this - remove the triangle from the roof line and go with a brutalist look. I would also remove all the trees from the front garden as the triangle shape of garden and its bright green color pointing towards the garage door contrasts the squareness of everything else. I would go with stark white for everything and maybe add some red. Maybe the pole on the right could be red - or even the whole garage door.

I'd take out those bitty little windows and put in full width glass bi-fold door going out to the new deck over the garage. I'd also put in put in seamless sliding windows to the left (looking at the photo) which would make your view even better as well.

Painting the exterior would transform the house as would removing the current garden and replacing with a more attractive design making sure it won't interfere with your view down the track.

Nothing you're thinking about is cheap to do so I'm assuming it's your 'forever' house? If not a lick of paint and landscaping will enhance the appearance greatly.

As is it kind of looks like a cruise ship to me, if you're quirky you could make that work for you. Darker colour on the ground floor, lighter on top with nautical features. You could keep the little windows/cabins then. I have a vivid imagination haha. Good luck with whatever you decide, show us the finished product.

get rid of the windows...replace with louvre style..look at window supplier websites for ideas. the palm has to be moved or removed..tada to the circular drive, and while u are at it, the letterbox..

Agree with Patrick and EL the main thing that bothers me is the triangle on the roof- lose it

also agree that white plus strong accent colour