A suggestion that the professionals use and makes it SO much easier choosing colours - and then the perfect shade of that colour. Get a paint swatch of the Hog's Bristle - or paint a little sample card from leftover paint. Bring home 5 or 6 samples shades of navy from the paintshop to get the the closest shade/tone of navy to your couch. Armed with those - and a sample of your bench colour - hit the shops with confidence! You will see easily which yellow, or which Marsala or which 'whatever-colour-you-choose' looks great. There are many shades that might look like they work in the store, but when you get them home will be NQR,,,,you know, not quite right....and you still may not be thrilled with your room. It's a simple and almost foolproof way of choosing colour and has worked for me throughout many renovations.Couldn't do it without those little bits of colour! Have fun...

Thanks Anne and I will look at pale grey given the maintenance considerations. I have already paid for a colour consultant who was great but the Reckless grey she suggested for the house render and basalt gutters/fascia and front wall were too grey when we had the render samples put on and while it had a modern look, it was not giving the beach/coastal feel. I will head back into our inspirations paint store this morning to see if I can find the warm grey colours that have the most similar colour make up to Dune, and go from there. Anne you don't happen to know the dulux colour most close in composition to Colorbond Dune so I know where to start? Thanks again and I would love to hear from anyone who has got a dune roof and hear if they tried light coloured gutters and what render colours they have used on their walls.

I must be getting really old - it is interesting where technology is taking us but there is nothing there that I could not live without.

2019 marks the 16th year of Australia's longest-running design competition, VIVID, which continues to celebrate some of Australia's most dynamic, emerging designers. This year the Houzz community will vote for its favourite design for the VIVID x Houzz People's Choice Award. Houzz is excited to partner with VIVID again for the VIVID x Houzz People's Choice Award! Take a sneak peek at the finalists and vote for your favourite design! >>>https://www.houzz.com.au/showcase/VIVID2019/ Read more about the designs in our Houzz story here. To vote for your favourite, simple like the entry! Here are just a few of the finalists! Daniel Margules - Kodo Hat & Coat Stand David Tate - Australiana Manuel Canestrini - Colonnade Sarah Tracton - Acoustic Landscape See the rest of the designs here! Don't forget to vote for your favourite!