Great choice with the Travertine, my joey just renovated her pool area with it and it looks amazing. I agree with Jenny Torrisi that glass in the archways would make a huge difference. Synthetic turf would be one idea for the courtyard, but it does have to be properly laid. Otherwise if you could extend the Travertine to that area, it would also look amazing. It would contrast well with the plants you have there, and you could add a cantilevered umbrella and couple of large shiny blue pots would add some colour and extra greenery. My big concern though is with those palm trees - quite frankly I find them useless, they provide very little shade, no greenery at ground level and the fonds drop off them indiscriminately and can cause serious injury if someone is in the wrong place when they drop. Lower growing plants in that area would make a huge difference. There used to be a market for established palm trees, not sure if it still applies. As far as the brickwork goes, dark coloured bricks absorb heat, which would make your pool area very hot and the solid walls would do nothing to allow breezes to circulate. I am really anti painting or rendering bricks as that means ongoing maintenance, but would the budget run to cladding the fence at least in a light coloured timber, I think it would give it a more modern look and appear cooler. There is definitely no room for plants, even in pots, but if you are artistic or know anyone who is, you could also attach a waterproof sheeting to one wall and paint a tropical style mural on it. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=tropical+external+wall+murals&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjns-ih0IHQAhVGjZQKHdBHAnkQsAQIQw&biw=1366&bih=638

Wow, that's quite a fantasy.

I would go with Monument. The house is dark brown so adding some relatively small surfmist elements wouldn’t change the perception of the house. At the photo above the surfmist works well as the roof is visible from the ground and it’s surfmist as well. The brown brick has those dark spots which go well with Monument. The house will look dark but elegant. In order to make the house more cheerful I would invest into adding as much greenery as possible. You might even think about adding couple relatively large pots along your side wall and/ or at the front right. You can also paint the front door any cheerful colour you like.

Thanks bigreader & potsy99. I agree it is heavy. We pulled the purple/bullring from the brick. The house is very long/horizontal. Potsy99 might be onto something about painting the chamfer boards above the garage, and the timber door being lighter might break that up a bit. I really struggle with the warm pavers and wish the previous owners had done a grey based paver. I feel it would have complemented the brick better. Colours I was entertaining for the roof are: Colorbond: Surfmist, Dune, Paperbark, Evening Haze. As much as I do love Ironstone, I feel a dark colour would a) be too heavy, and b) be too hot. I wonder if Ironstone (which would work/complement the rendered retaining wall) on the garage doors and gutters/facia boards would work, and do the roof a lighter colour - Surfmist/Dune/Paperbark? I just struggle with classic cream. Oh, and my mum lives with me, and she has VERY strong opinions about warm colours, and everyone is entitled to hear them. :/ Again, thanks.....