The difference is amazing. Stone and water just WORK together, and the combination of brown, rust, cream and gold with the blue that picks up the colour of the pool is a match made in heaven. Great result.

I would let your natural elements shine ..match your wall colour to your classic white laminate and be lazy and paint the same for the ceilings so not to distract from your features or you could use your Caesar stone Urban as an inspiration and choose that colour as wall colour..ie go a bit lighter ..since you can play around with the colours as your room has lots of natural light .. Urban is a nice colour..brownish grey.. personally I'd just go white..

Personally I'd be very careful adding stacked stone next to the dark bricks. I think stacked stone can work next to rendered areas to provide contrast/add another element but next to dark bricks it could easily look too busy/too much. It's your home though so do what will make you happy when you drive up to it! If you're dead set on the stacked stone then find the brick manufacturers location and ask to speak to one of their designers for an opinion/options. If they can't help then ask brick manufacturer for the addresses of some properties in your city that have used your particular brick and check a few out. They will usually give you some addresses if you explain what you're trying to do. I'm sorry to have not answered your question as to what colour stacked stone to use. Good luck, exciting times for you.

Tonally all of your elements are very similar, which is why it looks so bland. I would be looking to echo the natural beauty of the sandstone retaining walls by cladding the grey piers to four sides, and the grey beam to three sides in sandstone to match the retaining walls. Don't introduce another material, such as stackstone or timber, as you already have the right amount of material variation. When you are finished cladding introduce some appropriate trees to draw attention to your portico in a balanced, formal manner. Well designed landscaping that relates to the architecture can work miracles in softening the front of a home. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls and Dr Retro Virtual Visits.