@kymryan..just having another look at your cladded house...Why do you want to remove the white cladding.? Apart from looking into recladding with colourbond as an option...or anything else....I think you might be wise to make sure of exactly what is under the present cladding...if you have not done that already. As cloudpants here says, your place has loads of potential and I am sure you would want it to be timeless so all you have to do is the maintenance. You mentioned that there are weatherboards under the cladding on your house. Do you know that for sure? Usually when they clad old weatherboard places the weatherboards are removed first because they cannot just be c;lad over. Check! Underneath your cladding you might have what I think was called ' wide chamferboards' or even a narrower kind used about 1950-60. These were PINE and the reason for cladding was usually because they were weather-worn or rotted. It might even be that there are no "boards" of any kind under that cladding...maybe fibro or cement sheeting.....or, if you are lucky...the house framework...onto which you can put any exterior cladding. I'd advise you to check this if you have not done so already. The tiles on the roof suggest to me that the original outside of the house may have been these pine boards or even the cement sheeting...but I think the former. I do not think that there would be the older style hardwood weatherboards under that cladding...the house is of the wrong era for those....it would need to be much older.. Another option...some of the really old weatherboard houses around here (in country Queensland) have been rendered using a very old system...All of these houses were on wooden stumps. Before they started they stabilised the stumps as I have described and then built in all around the sides of the underneath with bricks. They covered the house with insulating foil or tar paper then they covered that with chicken wire netting!!! Over that they simply applied a cement mixture and they trowelled it leaving swirls...a bit like the Mexican adobe. Then they painred it. Its a very old technique. It is materials cheap and labour intensive. If the old house on stumps inderneath shifts a little there's no problems with cracking of any kind....due to the cement, hand applied "render" having the (chicken) wire reinforcing bonded throughout with the cement. The finished house looks as if it is built of stone or concrete! ..The insulating properties are great. Its a very old system that lasts the test of time....the early Italians brought it in when this area was opened up for orchards, There's an old weatherboard house just opposite mine that was "rendered" in this manner about 50 years ago and it still looks new.....been pained occasionally of course. Recently its had a verandah added in keeping with the style of the house and they've "prettied up" the facade under the roof with some ornamenral work. You could research that I am sure...you might even find out "How To".

Happy February down there. We just had another snowfall, only an inch this time, two weeks ago we were blessed with 36 inches (a meter of snow - ouch). I agree with bits and pieces of the above. The simplist would be to deck the entire area, with lots of interest in the woodwork, as georgio suggested. To reduce costs, have someone design the carpentry, install all the support posts and beams, and let you do all the decking and handrails. Because everything is so rectangular, I would want to see a series of artful curves, and steps that are indirect. Consider that the rush to the pool is incidental compared to all the other activities to be considered in that small space. Ask each member of the household to write out their individual desires for activities not present in the back yard, and that all wishes will be considered valuable to consider. Perhaps you wish to add some more of that handsome fencing to add security, so you don't have to be constantly on guard when family or friends are present. The vegetable and herb garden can be just as happy in large planters or in individual containers on the decking. Plain terracotta pots will blend in better than the more decorative glazed beauties. If planting trees for shade, the evergreens will cause less of a leaf problem in the pool. analyze first, then plan

Hi, I have looked at your photos, and with the dark door frames, thought you might like to embrace that colouring? I have attached photo which has colours that are already in your room, that would be difficult to change, ie: door frames. with adding light cushions, rug and artwork, would keep room light. With white shutters on front windows and Painting your dining setting black, as previously suggested. This is completely different to the other colour palette I have previously posted. But, thought I would share my thoughts.

Don't try and modernise this home, it has a lovely mid-century character that you should build on. I suggest to all of my clients that they should live in a home for at least 12 months before spending big renovation dollars. Understand how your house works with the change of seasons, and the existing electrical and plumbing services. Sometimes when you are on a tight budget in an old house then boring things like gutters and hot water systems are more important than supeficial aesthetics. Elements that are not original, such as your roller blinds at the front aren't contributing to the look of the house. The right landscaping could provide the shade you need and look much better. Love it for what it is, rather than try and make it into something that it is not. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls