Hi Brett about 5 to 10 years ago the trend was if your design style was contemporary your trim colour was the same as the walls and if your design style was classic your trim was a lighter, often white contrast to the wall colour. These days the trend is to the latter regardless of your design style as your builder's designers suggested. However matching your trim colour to the walls is still a good option if you have 8' ceilings. As there is minimal difference (only in the level of sheen) between the skirting boards and wall colour it makes the ceiling look higher. Another option is to do the trim in a similar but lighter tone such as Dulux Grey Pebble quarter. This is a very subtle tone on tone look. Whatever the colour, do you have a choice in the sheen level for your trim? I generally recommend semi gloss enamel on trim unless you are after a more classic look and your woodwork is in very good condition (the higher the sheen level the more any imperfections show up), in which case you could consider full gloss enamel. At the end of the day it's your home so you should do what you'd prefer - after all it's only paint so it's easily changed! All the best with your build.

Hi Russ, what a great house. I’d leave the windows white as was typical of the era. It gives these triple fronted houses a lightness that would be lost if you painted them in something dark like monument. It would also look like you are trying to turn the house into something that it’s not. Far better to embrace and honour the original design intent than trying to make it look contemporary as it will end up looking confusing. I’d paint the eaves and the garage door though. The cream colour is jarring. Then concentrate on landscaping. That will make a huge difference and make this house really shine.

I would match Window timber to colour of window frame. Since these are gloss use gloss on other timbers too.

Red is my go-to colour , but here I suspect it would work in with the bricks , moreso than the woodland grey -- the grey is not a bad colour choice on its own , but not with the brown . By the way , are the gutters and that pole a green ? It looks quite 'confused' , with what looks like brown , grey and green against the cream . Whether you go with red or grey , I'd do the gutters etc in grey -- the more I think about it , the more I like the woodland grey trims and gutters , and that bright red 'splash' of brightness that is the door , and the more subdued brick base .