I think a formal garden like in that beverly hills house would look really great with what you have planned. Its a big grand old house so it really suits to go quite grand in the style. i think the pencil pines in that picture would be a good addition to your front garden, The long lines really suit the height of the house. Some height in the garden is really what's lacking in your garden, also consider long tall flowers like lillies, agapanthus, hippeastrums or alliums. A few pants that echo the line and height of the columns would look great.

I think the existing colour is about right for the house . Go too much lighter and it starts to get the same as the doors , so you don't achieve anything . Go more mushroom and it wouldn't look right for the style of house , grey is just grey and done to death , and to add a blue tinge or similar would make it look older IMO . An English Cream or similar might look smart and modern , and a bit less yellow than the existing shade -- that's the range I'd look at IF it needs doing . Doing the door alcove in charcoal will add some interest , but it will also darken it , so I'd be reluctant , and I'd keep away from brown tones , or blues or reds or anything else . Both Kate and I have suggested a wooden garage door , and I suggested changing the entrance door to match . If you go charcoal , a wooden door wouldn't achieve much , while the existing white doors could look 'cheap' . In other words , my personal preference would be keep the existing colour , and change the garage and entrance door . They will fade and weather too , referencing the beach location . Add 2 or 3 bright warm coloured pots with cacti and similar beach plants and you have a subtle beach look .

The only part that possibly should have been accented is the verandah section. Start by giving it all and undercoat to cover the maroon. I’d paint it all a white that is right tone for your blue roof, maybe white on white and then accent the porch in a darker shade like Dulux linen white Do you know what the blue actually is?

I think your house looks 'old' because of 3 things -- the beige , the roof but also the green fences . Even though the windows are darker , I wouldn't change the beige to Monument -- it doesn't feel right to me . I'd go crisp white , but I definitely would do the fences in a charcoal -- it doesn't need to be Monument or even a brand in my experience -- a $40 cheapie stain ( or the $100 concentrate ones you thin out ) is fine , because every time you clean your fence , no matter how much you've paid , some comes off , so you redo your fence every 2 to 5 years . Do those 2 , and maybe a bright red entrance door ( the door seems a mid red in a couple of pics , white in one I assume is earlier , but black in others -- maybe a screen door ? ) , and then stand out on the street and look -- you may not need to do the roof then . You say you have done or are working on the garden -- I am again making an assumption that you have conifers or similar under the bags ? Thats fine , but it needs gardens and modern plants too -- green leaves , yellow leaves , red leaves , dark branches , even grasses and cactuses . It all adds to it , but also modernises the feel -- the large bushy shrubs in most pics could easily have been what someone planted 50 years ago !