surely you are not serious about your brick choice? I really like it and I can be really mean about your style of house! having the two colours of brick is pretty original and you've chosen great colours, the dark with white mortar is always classy and I'd expect it to be paired with render so having it combined with the lighter brick is the pleasant difference. and it sets up a nice masonry three-way with the tile roof. all it needs is the green. like everyone said just get the landscaping right, plenty of lush green in the right places and it'll be just right. if you add some timber make sure you get the colour right, what's the front door?

I found a website that might be quite helpful for you http://www.colourtouch.com.au/ to visualise what colours and finishes could look like on your house. You can choose a style of house that closely matches yours then choose a number of set schemes, or start with a blank canvas and play around with any colour / finish you like.

Hi Deb, If this place were mine I would be going for a timeless Australian look to blend with your native and European plant choices that's durable for our climate. I would start with a portico built over the entry in hardwood with a colour bond pitched lined roof trim all the wood in white. Clad the walls with Hardies weather boards or flat planks, building a wide timber trim around the downstairs window to create a feature. I'd go with charcoal walls to compliment the white trim classic colours that will endure time. I'd clad the retaining walls all with a stacker stone tile that resembles old English mortar less stone walls. Some outdoor lights by Barnlighting Autralia are classics. If you want a cheap alternative creeper over the bricks, be aware that all vines will erode the mortar and attract spiders, yet my favourite creeper for this application would be "ficus pemula" it sits really flat and can be trained as a solid wall. Perfect for privacy. You could pave the entry path with "Millboards" wharf style boards so it looks like a beach path, they will never rot or need maintenance, otherwise you can use concrete moulded timber look planks. Some flax grasses to add to the coastal look. As for this upstairs Windows, what was the building designer thinking?.. There's a couple of choices, you can create one way visibility with white shutters inside or out, line the glass with sunblock film or have some exterior screens fitted outside with laser cuts screens, timber etc or replace the windows and create a more balanced frontal feature with higher rectangular windows. This cladding can take to a contemporary look, coastal look, bush style etc. the best feature of this cladding is the additional insulation and uniformity. Have fun

Hi dmitry1991, Have you considered a planter box on the first floor, slats, or even decorative privacy screens? As for the centre wall on the ground floor this could use a different material like stacked stone or even a polished plaster type material with the house number on it. Often times it doesn't take much to add a lot of spice to a simple facade.