The best place to put it and stay in sync with the architecture would be to align it with the horizontal break of the gable. Make sure the front board is the same width as your fascia board. To incorporate the roof lines it would be best to make larger than the inset and run to half way between the interior corner and the window on both sides.. If you just run it out from the inset it will end up looking like it's stuck in there. You need the wider breadth to match speeds with the roof lines visually. You also need at least 8x8 posts for the scale to look right. I'm also thinking that staining the pergola in a transparent stain in neutral (rather than the stain on the gable) will look best. it will blend in colorwise and tie to the gable but be understated. Painting it white like the fascias will make it jump away from the house. Nice job on the house, by the way.

Thank you for all the ideas. Sometimes you think about something so much you can't see solutions. Like the ideas of umbrellas or awnings. We have 80 mm of the timber beam available to put an awning on. I think they're wider than that.☹️☹️ (There is a bolt in the beam that protrudes 2cm, it's not easily seen in photo as it is painted cream). An awning would need to sit underneath this bolt. The panels are plastic not glass and their track would need to be clear for when we open the pergola up, which we do during summer on long hot spells. We did plant callistemons about 3 -4 m away but they have not grown according to plan...lol I'm thinking the most achievable solution is a cantilevered umbrella. I think we'd need to concrete the base into the ground and remove the pole during winter. The brick area is a play area - netball etc. Any pros or cons to this idea?

If you can put doors on the whole back area and deck or pave out to a functional size for entertaining - be sure to have as close to same height as inside and the whole width of the house if possible. You could do the pergola which looks gorgeous and makes a cozy feel. On top of the pergola you may be able to do a weatherproof retractable awning if you do not want a permanent covered area. That would make a whole area for indoor outdoor entertaining in all types of weather. You can still have a step down area to grass and plants at the rear. Travetine is great and easy to hose down. You do not have to concrete them down use pavers on a good road base. You would have to speak to the experts about how to get the right height - also be sure to have a slight fall away from the house.

Haha -- I've got you thinking ! Look at the pic you posted today , and the first thing you see is the timber . Its got a golden honey tone , its natural , it looks nice . You've enclosed the beam and thats noticable too . The white door is a couple of steps up from plain , and you notice that too . The house itself is still a grey box IMO . The only good thing you did ( again , just my opinion ) was that darker grey . But imagine if you ( or your builder ) got up and did 3 pieces of 150 wide timber ( varnished / stained ) around that upstairs veranda-y thing that pokes out above the upstairs window . And we've never seen the other side of the front of your place , but see if there is something there that would get a wooden surround -- balance the place a bit , add interest . It isn't even really colour , but it is a pleasant colour , its natural , it adds interest .