The house itself looks perfectly good to me and I don't think you have to do too much. It has a natural long hut look with the emphasis on the horizontal and nice big windows. The things throwing that look off are the verticals in the colour bond fence and the railings on the front porch. Perhaps the fence - could be set back further down the side wall and be a horizontal narrow slat timber fence with some nice plantings in front of it suggested above. The window frames are nice and big and could be picked out in a another colour. White perhaps if you leave the brick as is? Similarly blend the front porch into the horizontal. Rather than just curtains in your windows perhaps a layer of venetians or shutters which will allow light and air in but maintain your privacy? Visually they will add to the street appeal and the horizontal theme. [You can keep your curtains for night time warmth and insulation and open the house up during the day?] Leave the roof it's fine - I think apart from that it's all about the lovely plantings suggested? Cheers.

m_walker5, just from the 2 photos so far it seems to me the main first improvement to that space would be to remove the wall to the kitchen, so you need to find out if this is loadbearing or not. Stick your head up through the ceiling manhole to see how the structure is framed. If it is fully framed (rafters, ceiling joists, struts bearing down on internal walls) chances are that that wall is loadbearing. On the other hand if it is gangnail trusses (triangular frames with W braces held together with metal nail-plates) you are in luck. These typically span between outside walls and internal walls can usually be changed or removed easily. This is your staring point for deciding how far you want to go with this depending on budget, and is the point where you should involve an architect/designer to work out a comprehensive renovation plan. I have just completed a very similar project where the renovation was urgent (kitchen cabinets were falling off the walls!) but the budget was greatly reduced as the owner unexpectedly lost one source of income. We managed to do a full kitchen renovation, remove walls to create larger open-plan spaces, full re-sand and polish of floors, full internal repaint, all for about $80,000.

the second plan is probably closer to your ideal but with east setback narrower there would be more space inside and/or the extra 50cm x 28m of garden is available to combine with the other side or in the rear garden but i think you've added extra to the garage to make a drive through access to the rear but how would you use all that garden space on the western side??..so many options and best orientation and use of the available space will almost always be better achieved with a custom build although there's probably a builders' plan that is closer to ideal with only relatively minor changes but initial suggestion could have more useable space inside and out

Hello Mellebret, Suggestions above are great but there is another I would like to put to you: Look at planting deciduous trees out from the west windows and doors. You need to calculate the full height of the trees, the position of the view and where to plant them so the sun is blocked in summer and you can still enjoy the view. Winter when they are bear branches will allow the winter sun to stream in and heat the living areas for FREE! But also you need to be prepared to cut trees lower or trim below for the view as needs be so they do not get too tall, out of control or dangerous. It is a very efficient and beautiful way to control the sun, shade, comfort and beauty. Cheers Margot