It doesn't have to be a period style home to have traditional characteristics. The roof pitch and elongated proportions aren keeping with traditional homes, perhaps mores bungalows, not Victorian or federation at all, however the elements that could contribute are all decorative. I don't think adding corners are necessary, this has quite a lotof street appeal. From street level, the main focus is that double window with a gable, so I suggest a large double window awning with timber decorative brackets and a colourbond sheet roof, this will add more dimension to this facade, and perhaps then add strapping details to the above gable. Go with a charcoal to accent the timber details, including the fascia, spouting (gutters), garage door and window frames. Render would be a main expense if you did fo that, id prefer to see a bagged brick rather than a flat finish render, as this will make it more contemporary. Bagged brick allows a textured surface still allowing you subtle brick feature. Paint the render a coffee tone, one called urban grey is beautiful. Add perennial flowers to the landscape, white flowering pal ts like oak leaf hydrangea, snowball viburnum tree or weeping cherries. I think it has potential for sweeping manor-esque gardens.

1) My cost saving suggestion to you is PAINT, this is going to give you the cheapest tool to change the Miners cottage appearance to attract attention. 2) Leave Roof as is, no Paint ,the roof being left natural to me gives it a studio edge.(and saves precious dollars 3) Wall colour in a darkish grey with all white trim, I was going to suggest a beige colour but it looks like your neighbour has these colours so that's why I'd go bold with wall & fence colour. 4) Perhaps you could build a small fence like the metal one I sent you, this would be made up with scrape material nd place to the R/H side of the driveway, can't see whats on that boundary 5) Gutter and eaves same colour as walls 6) Gates shinny black 7) Keep existing window & door shades and paint them all white, no stripes 8)Front door of your choice, Red and make the studio door a different colour to help students find there way, Yellow 9) Looks like you have a crushed gravel path running along the side of the house to the studio, try to define this from the gate so that you don't have everyone cutting across the verandah, 10) It would be good to have some screening on the Verandah, mesh or other affordable material. 11)Trim the grass, plant some hedging behind the fence and plant some red NZ flax plants off to the right side of the garden 12)Paint garage like house this would help to bulk out the building and make it look a bigger property 13) PAINT good luck

I think the house looks beautiful as is, don't think the carport overwhelming at all, paint front door black as suggested, black light fitting, get advice on porch tiles for repair or replace, plant viburnum hedge (emerald lustre) shiny lush foliage under window, a row of ornamental pears along neighbours side, underplant with box or continue viburnum hedge for a designer look, standard ficus hilli either side of door in beautiful pots would look great, yout daughter has a beautiful house

Thank you oklouise The house started out as a small single storey fibro house (left section). By the time we bought it, it had a 2 storey extension 6.2m w x 12.1m d added to the right side and the whole house was bricked over - leaving a strange stairwell on the side of the new extension (which we faux brick stamped 15+ years ago as it was bright white). There is a small step down to the front verandah but still good head height. The current garage doors are also quite high at 2.5m and would not need to be as high when replaced. So hoping the bulk head (if that is all we come up with) would be consistent / level across the front. That was just my first thought, but fresh eyes and fresh/other ideas are welcome!