White Windows would be great - would give definition and break up brickwork For garage, black against brown brick is a bit harsh - just built thought black Windows but went white with brown brick and ironstone garage door and red front door!! But manor red and ironstone colours match flecks of colours in my bricks

Dr Retro House Calls, funny as I have a sample of monument here. Interesting about true black. Girlguides I have also been playing around the idea of ironstone on the garage doors. Attic Building Design you're right, the picture doesn't quite show it, they are mission brown, thinking of a grey/black. It's such a huge decision, hubby and I can only agree with no cream or green.

Suggest rather than hanging g plants that you plant climbers eg a grapevine or bougainvillea into a half wine barrel or into other large pots or elsebreak up the concrete around the car port posts so plant a climber. A pandorea would be nice.Re earlier comment : forget nasturtiums unless for pots of annual colour as they are short living annuals only. You need sturdy perennial climbers to grow over and around the car port to soften it. Replace the white balustrade with something modern and place some lArge modern pot plants with large greenery on the balcony also to soften it. I would suggest a warm cream in place of the stark white to blend with the red brick. They greys and charcoals eg monument are verycookie cutter and a current trend that we are all heartily sick of. Using them will date the house very quickly.

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 .