I'll stick my neck out and say I love painted brick, especially when not in overwhelming proportions, so I think your house would lend itself well to this treatment. I can see the brick on your house painted in Surfmist - I believe it would totally transform the feel of your house. I love what you've done so far. If you do paint the brick though I would paint the garage door the same dark grey of the wood trim. Jon n Kate Miller are right - if you paint brick you have to be committed. Also don't take short cuts on surface preparation but if done properly there's no reason it shouldn't last as long as any other painted surface.

i’m wanting to freshen up the facade of my house in a beachside suburb. The roof is tile and painted “monument “ but i’d like to paint the house a light colour and any ideas for the fence ?

Paint is relatively cheap , it would tie the 2 'halves' together if done at least half way right -- that is part of my thinking on keeping the filligrees too -- they add interest and even a hint of class and a bygone era , but they are consistent across the buildings . But to do weatherboards over the brick , you either need to do 'fake' door and window surrounds , and then your doors and windows set back in ; or remove the doors and windows , do the weatherboarding and surrounds , and reinstall the joinery 'further out' . I guess you could try glueing the boards on , but they'll still be 50-60mm 'deeper' , but if you do say 50x50mm battens then weatherboard , you are adding at least 100mm to the window and door depths . A lot of $$$$ to not achive a heap IMO .

Firstly , your pictures look like 3 different tones of brick , with that front wall being a 4th ? That may be lighting or even how they've been cared over the years , but just my first observation . I'm not a fan of painting bricks , so that probably taints my thoughts , but even painted , its going to look a mish-mash of looks and eras -- no matter what you do , you'll see the 60's roots and design cues . I'd tidy the mortar ( stay period with the light mortar ) and keep the 'red and white' theme , and any spare money maybe change the wrought iron and netting on the balcony , paint the barge boards and gutters , do the front fence , add variety to the garden . Tidy what is there in other words , don't try to make it what it ain't .