It is all relative to the entire property, the house and the yard. Is this a part of the pedestrian circulation or a seating area? Are there utilities adjacent, is it in the front yard and viewed by neighbors, or part of your private space. Is it viewed from the dining/living rooms or just from the bedrooms. Will it be used by tricycles or just feet (no golf shoes please). In my experience, (don't you hate it when someone starts off a sentence in which he offers advice with that phrase), the mondo grass is too large for any pedestrian pavement. There are a large variety of more prostrate plants you can walk on at your garden center, I expect. Some can be walked on daily, and others less often. Some are evergreen, some have attractive flowers, some are into more gray or smoky colors than just green. You can mix them up, just as you do with groundcovers in your plant beds. Enjoy!

Sorry for the delay coming back to you all and thanks for all the input so far! We had our second baby just after posting this so have been distracted since :-) Thanks for all the suggestions and photos I think you are all spot on and I just need to get rid of the terracotta and brown as much as possible. I've got some colour test tins from bunnings so when I can I'm going to try out the following scheme and will post back: Windows - Really not sure? Black/White/Silver? Roof - Monument or Woodland Grey Garage doors - Monument or Woodland Grey Gutters - Monument or Woodland Grey Fascia - Shale grey Eaves/poles - Shale grey Downpipes - Monument or Woodland Grey Driveway/Tiled area - Respray or stencil in some sort of mid grey (the tiles are all cracked anyway). Something like attached. Back paving - Adbri Eurostone in Zurich - http://www.adbrimasonry.com.au/homeowner/paving/see-all-paving/euro-stone - photo attached Couple of questions: Can you paint split face block work and it sticks ok? I didn't think you could if not will render I love exposed aggregate but didn't think you could recoat in this format? It doesn’t seem that common in Sydney compared to Melbourne. Really not sure on window colour and would love some ideas? Other things: Definitely planning on getting an awning once new pavers are down Windows I will get quotes to replace but if too expensive will get a specialist painter for now Zurich is on the right. It's a light grey paver with an exposed aggregate. Available in 400 x 400 and 600 x 400 Cheers, Frank

i would have the rectangular tiles as a border around the whole space and then the square tiles in the centre but any pattern will look great with a few big leafy pots and a some comfy furniture but consider the effect of sun on the tiles.. could the tiles overheat and make the courtyard uncomfortable at the times that you want to sit out there?

Hi Robert, take a look at DeckCell - this could be an option for you. https://nexgendecking.com.au/products/diy-deck-cell/ . Available in 50mm and 30mm.