Our house north frontage, it is so lovely in winter, we have a small porch/verandah, use it all the time .. You have the gums for summer shade so you may not necessarily need a roof. I like Dohramei photo ideas as well. Nice metal garden furniture with removable cushions

I wouldn't replace the fibre cement panels under the windows with weatherboards, that would just accentuate the different window heights. Instead I would paint those panels a darker colour, say a charcoal grey, with the corner posts and other window trim in the same colour. (You are right, grey is timeless, while any blue would date very quickly.) Then the windows and panels become consistent vertical elements on a lighter facade. You can also pick out the fascias and gutters in that same grey to tie it all together. If you stripped back the brown painted battens to the undercroft and the balcony timber railings, and instead gave them a coat of decking oil for natural timber warmth and integrity, you could make a similar oiled horizontal batten front fence using hardwood decking boards on 50x50 galvanised steel posts. Then the fence and the undercroft battening would match. If the garage door is a tilt-a-door I would be tempted to replace the steel with oiled horizontal battens. Otherwise, paint it the same charcoal grey. Then you have a 3-tone colour scheme that will give the place simple understated elegance: White, grey, and natural oiled hardwood. I am curious why what looks like the front door is not accessible? It looks like there might have been front steps there at one time instead of the current deck. Probably a casualty of a previous renovation.

I would go different again , and do the deck on one level , BUT go over the existing step , the 'terrace' and the footpath . I'd possibly do a built in seat along 'this' near end , and you'd step off the deck down onto the grass , or the path on the right hand side . Brown is the traditional colour to paint your deck obviously , but looking at your colours ( I assume pic 1 was when it was rendered , pic 2 is the painting completed ? ) I'd be tempted to do the deck in a charcoal or even a darker silvery grey , AND the window sills in the grey too . Just my take .

I wonder if the drive is purposely supposed to be darker -- the water meter or whatever that is in that circular concrete ring is a lot lighter ? The garage door is a shocker -- it just looks like a whole wall of nothing . I like the warmth of timber , and with the wall colours , I'd go a cedar or similar slightly redder coloured wood , as opposed to a honey gold tone . In fact , I think the entrance door is that tone , but I can't be sure ? Failing that idea of a timber door ( it won't be cheap , but not super expensive either , and I think good value , but its still $$$ ) then paint will help . I personally would go for red , orange or yellow tones , but as robandlyn says , charcoal would also suit . The other thing I'd be tempted to do is painting those barge boards around the top , probably in charcoal . There's not too much wrong with the white , except it is too close colour wise and attitude wise , to the wall sandy beige . And yes , knock yourselves out with gardens -- white stone , bark , cactus , lancewood , red leaves , green leaves , grasses , tall and slim , low and wide , just maybe not roses . . . . . . . . . .