Had you considered reconfiguring and adding to the pool fence in order to incorporate the pergola inside pool fence boundary? I can certainly understand there are pros and cons to this, but I thought I would throw it out there. In any case, landscaping, lighting and painting pergola a more harmonious colour seem very good ideas to me. If you sketch out on paper some of the various plans and ideas you like or have in mind, and colour-in the different features, this might help you visualise things better. It's sort of rudimentary, but I have done it several times and it did help me 'see'. Best wishes, and please keep us posted on how you are going.

Thank you Oklouise for looking into these again for me. We had a lengthy discussion with my artchitect during the week and we agreed that he would revisit the whole concept, with particular regard to how spaces are distributed across the split levels. This might change the floor plan entirely. He is coming up with a new proposal today. I will share that with you here for comparison and advise. Thanks again.

Hi LesleyH, I'm trying to decide on a colour scheme for my house at the moment as we're getting it painted next week! Decisions, decisions. A picture of the front part of my house is attached. I am thinking of painting the walls in dulux tranquil retreat, keeping the trims crisp white, awning will be surfmist and I can't decide on whether I choose momentum or surfmist for the gutters. What do you think? Roof at the front of the house will remain the brown/orangey colour (it'll get resprayed next year when we have the money). I am thinking of making the pergola at the back of the house all white except the roof will be surfmist in colour. I really don't know...does that sound ok to you?

Not exactly - lots of experience with climbers over structures, but not right next to the house like in your photo. However you could get around the light issue by planting a deciduous climber - wisteria or clematis for instance - which would let winter sun in and block summer heat. (... eventually.) Plus, considering that any kind of solid or transparent roofing material will cut light to some extent, a deciduous climber could well be the most light-friendly option. You can always thin them out a little as they grow, and the light that does penetrate will be unfiltered. The shade that plants provide in summer is always superior to the shade from solid roofing anyway :-)