@ Amanda Cullity....I love all the different 'likes and dislikes' on the Houzz forums....quite surprising the different things that appeal to people. On revisiting this discussion I've changed my mind...and now I don't like either, how about that for weird!? Honestly, if this were my place and I had to make this decision Yellow or Pink today, a good few months down the track from when I voted PINK... I would not know what to choose between these two options. Did you paint the roof with the yellow in it as well? Maybe the photos don't do the house justice. At this point, your having painted the house YELLOW to "tone down all the pink"....I feel its still too much of the one colour. Maybe, contraty to what Rene says, keep the blue pots and put a few more of these around but in a paler colour blue, and maybe a couple of blue accents on the house itself. It has a very distinctive style so you'd need to be careful, it would be so easy to lose its character with the incorrect chouce of accent colour. The YELLOW seems also very warm so maybe try much lighter hues of blue violet pots and for a cool accent on the facade itself. To me it looks like too much of a big block of solid colour....wonder what a couple of blue violet trellises would do if they were placed against the house in the spaces between the windows with the window frames in the same hue? Might break up the "blocK look. I'm no architect but have a lot of experience with colour. This is a diffifcult one expecially going on photos only.. The suggested " trellises" would be just an experiement and if liked could be made into something more permanent. Have you see some of that decorative laser cut-out panelling in metal" Something like that might soften the "block" look. As this is an old trhead, I suppose, Amanda, that you've made some changes of your own. Would you share with us?

@islad, you already seem to have a box hedge growing either side of your driveway, not sure how much else you can put in before you start hindering the growth of the small hedge. You also don't say where you live so that makes the suggestion impossible, if for example you live in Darwin and I suggest a tree for Victoria. However, best suggestion is to go to a reputable nursery in your area, explain the size of the area you have available and exactly what it is you want to achieve. Your local nursery is your best friend. You will need to do a bit of work with the soil too after pulling out such large trees before replanting as the soil will be poor. Would love to know what is suggested for you. Cheers, Barbara

Thank you all for your comments. Well, it's been a few months since my original post and we have since finished putting up the retaining wall and planting the hedge. We decided to go ahead with Murrayas - planted about 34-40 cm apart. I gave them a good trim about a week after planting at the end of Autumn and another quick trim at the start of Spring. They have really filled out in warm weather and I think the gaps between individual plants should close by the start of winter. I'm really happy with the choice - the hedge looks glossy and lush and the sweet smell of Murraya flowers is just beautiful. We didn't do any underplanting, but I'm still thinking about putting in the dwarf agapanthus for the inside border. A couple of weeks ago we planted some Rhaphiolepis "Snow Maiden" and Rhoeo along one side of the retaining wall to provide a border for a footpath and I'm really happy how it turned out.

The plan looks a nightmare - bedrooms facing the street, a tiny internal bathroom with no window to the outside (is that legal?) and a "lounge" that looks like it was meant to be a third bedroom. If the internal walls are stud and don't support the roof you're in with a chance, but I'd say to do a proper job the cheap option is NOT going to work. I'd put two bedrooms where the current family room and lounge are and extend the bathroom into the boot room to give window access, or scrap the current bathroom altogether and use some of the space in what is now the kitchen for a new one. Keeping the WC separate is a good move. If you make the street side the social side of the house you can open it right out and create a big front porch that's a social spill-over from the kitchen/dining area, creating indoor-outdoor flow. Planting (two or three shade trees and some stands of tall perennials rather than a "green fence" hedge) keeps your front garden private yet inviting and stops your front porch becoming a stage set for the street. Good luck! I think you'll turn this very ordinary house into a much nicer place to live!