apennameandthata i don't know... vertical is more shed like style, while we still have a colonial style base and veranda. Dust will be an issue here (although its not so bad in that particular spot on a river, good protection from trees) but pressure wash will be regular practice anyway. Thanks for all your suggestions and I will take all on board, especially sandstone ideas. I don't this I want this house to look pretentious, but how can I describe that, I am after some subtle "wow" factor or something a bit different, but it must look like we knew what we are doing and YES, I want it to look like high quality build and not a transportable house or kit home. The house rectangle is so simple that I worry it may have that boring factor in its looks and that is why I am looking for some ideas. My problem is a tendency to overthink but I hope I will find a balance at some point :) At this stage I think: galvanised tin everywhere (or that zincalum), rusty steel posts, aluminum windows with timber look, sandstone features around main door and sandstone chimney. We had a big flood last year and the spot never goes under water, its on high grounds even though it is only meters from the river.

Thanks for your advise. Tried all three and ended up choosing Paperbark for the walls. Now just stuck between Woodland grey or Ironstone for the guttering????

Yes go monument!and if you go for some lime acacias out the front (tall weeping or the low bush)it would brighten up you whole look.Also adding strappy green plants that bulk up would give it a bit more of a clean look. If you don't want to go monument on roof go a light grey and tie in with a couple of tall light grey planters on either side of your door. Pleas please please!find someone with a jigsaw and cut the tops off your pickets to give a cleaner look before you paint them. I'm stating the obvious but those security screens are pretty overwhelming,can you just have them on windows that can be opened,it might not look so busy out the front.

I recently completed my owner built house and shed. My shed has shale grey roof and walls and is very cool all year round in The Atherton Tablelands near Cairns. My neighbor used monument and has a very hot shed. My house has a shale grey roof and the walls are cement block painted with shale grey(Taubmans). The garage door and is surfmist which looks white. The window and door frames are white. I love the look and what ceiling space I have does not get overly hot. The shale grey roof appears lighter than the walls because of the reflected light. This gives a nice contrast. Another neighbor has a surmist roof which can be too glarey to look at. Bear in mind that monument being dark will also show more noticeable fading than shale grey.