I’d go all white with timber and stone accents. Plus a wonderful garden.

Have you made any selections already or do you have any preferences ie. the garage door style/colour, the window framing, the roof colour, the brick you like for the columns - has anything like that been decided and you are working around those choices?

Love those images bigreader, thanks for sharing!

Hi Mandy, we haven’t selected anything. The plans are only just in with the engineer now and they won’t go to selection appointments until we’re signed off on the plan. So this is truely a blank canvas! 😄

I second or third bigreaders choices . I'd add that IMO its the details that really make an impression .

Just a suggestion along those lines though -- why have rendered brick for the 'whole' front -- why not do the garage side or the 'other' side in actual bricks -- an off-white , or even antiqued red , with the rest in a white render , and I assume the garage and entry doors are natural wood , and maybe the recess above the door in a mid charcoal for contrast -- it adds character and interest , and gives multiple textures and tones which all work together .

Again , look at bigreaders pics and you'll see the base is white in them all , but IMO pic 1 and 3 have more interest , as there is more variety of colours and tones .

Hi Pottsy,

Agreed, having contrasting tones is where we’re leaning based on bigreaders pictures. The 3rd one is our favourite. Pretty much nails what we had in mind for the garden feel as well.

In the estate we’re building in, we’re not allowed exposed brick so the white with feature stone/wood is the best solution. I’m concerned the right side of the house might be a bit bland though, all the contrasting will be with the garage. Would timber coloured window trims solve this?

I couldn’t quite find the pics I was after. But to add interest to the garage consider an arbor. I’d use timber to match your other timber accents and simple wood detailing so it has a modern feel.

I’d use landscaping to add interest on the non-garage side.

If you have a boat , you can launch it in bigreaders 'arbour hahaha .

Wood toned , or real wood window frames would add to it IMO -- that 3rd house that you like ( so do I ) , you see how the timber gate is so simple , but takes it from being a 'white box' to being a beach theme . And like you , i would be mildly worried that the right side will look a bit plain , especially as it will be very similar to the garage side -- that was why I suggested actual bricks . The windows , even if in white or black , are quite 'interesting' in shape , but being symetrical and flat that wall may look a bit 'meh' .

To do one side white , the other in say a surfmist ( a slight blue tinge ) may look too try-hard too , but maybe do that 'righthand' side in weatherboards ? Keep it simple , paint it exactly the same as the rendered walls , but it will not look the same ? Also , weatherboards where what seaside cottages were traditionally constructed of , so there's that tie-in there too . Just throwing ideas around .

And on a complete side note , I can't understand the logic of no brick walls -- I assume it is all new-builds , and brick adds variety and interest , its generally warm and IMO attractive -- just my preference , but I prefer some brick as opposed to an all render look .

I agree with bigreader,

The first post I would clad the mid section above the door in timber and paint it the same white as the render and then again in the second post it shows the upstairs clad in timber which I would match with the front. Garage door can be timber ot black