Thanks Brandi. Don't have pictures unfortunately but the roof is the 1970s deep green which I've always disliked and have always wanted to paint it but don't know what colour. Maybe darker grey or lighter grey? There's plenty of trees around the house and shrubbery.

@ minebathroom and @ Luke Buckle, our electrician has informed us that we don't have to put solar panels on our house roof if we don't want to for aesthetics or if for example the roof was old as you mentioned Luke. Panels can be placed on a shed or garage roof anywhere on your property if you are rural like us for example, as the power can be directed into the grid from anywhere the solar panels live and that doesn't have to be on the house roof. We would love to go solar but agree with all your other points @minebathroom, too expensive and expected lifespan and feed in tarrifs are very ordinary but then there's also the back up service too, will the company still be around in one year let alone 10 years. When our electrician got his solar, he got such a fantastic tarrif rate which was offered at the very start of the solar revolution, he was recieving a cheque or refund of something like $500 a quarter but the rates are so low now, there is certainly no chance of recouping some of the instalation costs, although I wouldn't be so fused about that if I thought I would get say 20+ years out of the system before it begun to possibly fail in some way. Things do have to get allot more reliable if nothing else!!

Hi oklouise, thank you again so much for your suggestions to help me reflect on my choices! The great thing about this whole process is that it has really helped me clarify my must haves/dealbreakers and nice to haves. Key elements that I don't want to forego are: 1) a "master suite" with large WIR + private ensuite+ direct private garden access/views. The current northern bedrooms are elevated and do not allow these elements and better suited to small kids as no external doors and can be eyeballed from the kitchen. 2)The kitchen must be the heart of the home and connected to all living spaces so the host never feels disconnected from guests & can watch kids from almost any living space.I attended a party last weekend which had the kitchen blocking the living room from the outdoor space and the host commented they regretted it after renovating. 3)The dining room must be an end destination vs a corridor so it does not become a dumping grounds for bags, mail & everything else as the nearest flat surface to the entry point. 4) All new bedrooms must also be min 3 -3.2M wide on the narrowest side for me to justify them. 5) I reviewed all my lookbooks and tear sheets pulled to date and its a clear pattern that I want my 'adult' living and dining/entertaining spaces connected to the rear garden preferably wrapping l-shape round a deck or courtyard garden. In a sense 'broken' vs open plan but still visible through glass etc. 6) I would not be prepared sacrifice the prime N/NE aspect with utility rooms. 7) I don't wish to place a verandah at the front as it will never be used except extra maintenance and can create shading in summer via other methods. 8) capacity to rent out room with private living quarters. There are many splitter blocks in my area and I don't need it to operate as legal dual occupancy. 9) single level living -no second story bedrooms etc. 10) separation of main bedrooms when renting out section of house Phew....I think thats most of the checklist criteria I have been working to. Still think tanking the street appeal/front facade style but its probably leaning toward lux byron bay beach cottage meets modern coastal with some retro elements to hint at the history of this 1950s house!

I personally think the blue ( both the garage door but also the roof ) dates the look -- if you hadn't said 10 years old , I would have guessed at mid-90's ( 25 years ago ) . If the budget runs to it , I'd do the roof in a surfmist or similar -- a lighter tone with silver and blue hints to it . Going darker will get too warm at a guess . If the budget doesn't extend to repainting the roof , how about doing the gutters in a bold red or orange -- still costal vibes , but with that stand out Wow ! The Portico I would leave , but do in a charcoal ( monument or similar ) -- it gets the contrast , breaks the front profile , adds interest . OR again budget dependent , but imagine that portico done in some form of rock -- real or fake ( just not too fake and obvious ) -- stacked schist or similar would be expensive if real ( $20k installed ? ) but even $1500-2k for panels would add some class . Do that , add a letterbox , coastal gardens , and stand back . You note I haven't mentioned the garage door , because possibly it will look okay ? Doing it a charcoal , especially if you have done the portico , may be too dark and over-bearing , but what about a yellow ? Sunshine yellow or even a mid-yellow -- it is the beach after all ! Again , budget dependent , but changing to a stained timber door won't be cheap , but , especially with a stone portico , it will look upmarket !