we used extra wide black sarlon shade cloth attached to timber frames that were then attached to the frame of a pergola against the house..initially for sun screening but we found the screens so useful for hot, cold and windy weather and also excluded insects, frogs and snakes and made a great safe play area for kids and animals...the materials cost less than a few hundred dollars for the first experiment for a 7m x 5m area and the black sarlon, looks like fly screen when stretched tight to the frames and enhanced the view looking out, obscured the view looking in and added months of comfortable use to our outdoor area... another panel installed along a hot morning verandah grew a Boston Ivy all over it that was extra cool in Summer, gorgeous in Autumn and leafless to allow more light in Winter

I know it's not the answer you're looking for but I think it looks great :) .... as Tilly says, you should be able to match it to extend the floor area of your alfresco and make it look visually larger being all the same finish. Maybe embellishing your area with a great big outdoor rug, your outdoor furniture, some bright cushions, large lanterns with candles, some larger potted plants and perhaps using some timber accents elsewhere like a makeshift bar/drinks shelf if it fits in with the rest of your house layout?

Further to some previous comments I’ve made over the past few years on various subject matters ; anyone that would like some further detailed information on the subject on sun control window insulation films as an option to consider for improving both heat loss and heat gains through windows ( also referred too as window tinting and / or glass tinting ) , including glass security /glare control / fade protection and decorative glass treatments etc can check out some articles I had printed in the “ The Owner Builder “ magazine no’s 180 & 181 ( Dec-Feb 2013-2914 editions ) It may help those understand a little better the product for those having various issues, such as this present subject matter on cooling methods , in this comment section . As others have mentioned, one product may not solve all their particular problem/s and quite often more than one product / solution may often be required to obtain a better outcome . I’ve found a lot of problems start initially with overall buildings design , orientation and the amount of glass / windows used and their sizes /design and type / amount of insulation used overall . Having been in the window tinting industry for about 38 years now and covering both domestic and commercial buildings , I’ve noticed how the weather patterns changed to an extent that the solutions/ products that may have been available / used some 30 odd years ago ; now have new and updated products / solutions on offer . One can email me for further advice to clarify some issues . Although I’m a Tasmanian based business, I’ve lived and worked all around Australia and spent over 5-1/2 years in north Qld so do have some experience living in different climates .

attaching the garage at the corner can be complicated for the roof so this also has to be considered but can you post a plan of the block showing the proposed location of the new house, distance to each boundary, the front gate and any existing driveway, arrows showing the direction of north and any views and is the block sloping in any direction or relatively flat? the problem with acreage is that there are so many choices and you probably also don't want a view of the driveway from the bath so we need more information about the block