Thanks all for the suggestions! White ceiling really makes sense thanks Helen. I would not have thought to do that but as i sat out there over the weekend it makes perfect sense. At this stage I'll stick to repainting the deck as well due to the cost but long term I'll definitely be looking at sanding or replacing the timbers of the deck. With all the dark colours it really does have an oppressive feeling and i almost feel like i need to hunch over as i walk through so lightening up the colour scheme is definitely the way to go. And yes Angela those blind will be going :)

Hey there suneerevo! Some great ideas in this thread. You could potentially turn the side area into a small cricket pitch/play area - include a small sand pit/outline a hopscotch zone. I'm not sure how old your children are, but I agree the area may be too small for basketball (unless it is just shooting practice) or bike riding. You could introduce astro turf (pic below is of the fresh cut turf which you can purchase from Bunnings) and shade sails above, and some fun outdoor furniture to encourage play and also relaxation. Example of some fun furniture perhaps :) The shade sails (examples below) will prevent the synthetic turf from getting too hot, and block out UV rays so your children can play or your guests can relax. You can also purchase these from Bunnings and install them yourself :) Hope this helps! Let us know what you end up deciding on.

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Start by spending a portion of your budget on the various dream feature items that are relocatable and can be used in your final design anyway. e.g. Buy the firepit you really want - it can become the focal point of your future garden. Test it outside in your backyard for a few months. Are heaps of mozzies annoying you while you're sitting outside around the firepit? If so, then you'll know that you're going to need a gazebo with flyscreens as well as privacy curtains so you can really enjoy lying outside in your hammock year round. The hammock is another relocatable part of your design. First, lie outside in your backyard on a swag or a rug for a few hours. Is it too windy? Is there road noise? Keep experimenting until you've found the perfect location for the hammock. Then buy an inexpensive hammock and suspend it from a couple of sturdy RL4 poles. If it's working, then this is the place where you should build your future patio, that's going to shelter your hammock. Keep testing inexpensive versions of your other ideas out. Trial tea candles or a string of inexpensive white Christmas lights as garden lighting. Do they create the feel you want or do lights just attract moths or unwanted insects? What about relocatable solar garden lights? Or a portable floodlight from Bunnings? Where's the ideal place for your garden table and chairs? Test it out with inexpensive camping chairs - or chairs you already own for a few months to be sure. Then invest in the perfect outdoor table and chairs. Same with the water feature. Start with a wine barrel with a waterlily or a second hand pond off Gumtree. Can you hear the trickling water in the garden or do other noises crowd it out? Keep in mind big goldfish need deep water and space to swim. To help you in your choice of plants,look around your immediate neighbourhood. What purple, blue and scented plants are thriving in your immediate area? Who has the best garden in your street in your opinion - and why do you think that? Do you always see a particular neighbour passionately working outside in their garden? That's the person you should strike up a conversation with to get advise about suitable plants for your immediate area. Chances are they will not only give you heaps of free advise but they will probably give you plants and cuttings as well. Markets are another source of perennial plants that grow well in the local area. Plant these smaller plants into large plastic pots and garden bags and allow them to grow for a year or so. Consider herbs as filler plants - many are highly scented, can be used in cooking and often have interesting foliage e.g. choc mint, fennel, rosemary etc. After you've been using your backyard for at least a year and you've experienced all of the seasons, then invest in your big ticket items like your gazebo. Buy or build a structure that's truly practical for your local microclimate - incorporate glass, windbreak fencing, shadecloth, mozzie mesh or whatever you need to make your hammock shelter ultra comfortable. Build this structure where you've tested it and know it will work - not where a stranger who designs gardens thinks it should go. Spend the remaining money on the things you know you need and want - the stones, plants, irrigation, a birdbath, etc