Hi Deb, If this place were mine I would be going for a timeless Australian look to blend with your native and European plant choices that's durable for our climate. I would start with a portico built over the entry in hardwood with a colour bond pitched lined roof trim all the wood in white. Clad the walls with Hardies weather boards or flat planks, building a wide timber trim around the downstairs window to create a feature. I'd go with charcoal walls to compliment the white trim classic colours that will endure time. I'd clad the retaining walls all with a stacker stone tile that resembles old English mortar less stone walls. Some outdoor lights by Barnlighting Autralia are classics. If you want a cheap alternative creeper over the bricks, be aware that all vines will erode the mortar and attract spiders, yet my favourite creeper for this application would be "ficus pemula" it sits really flat and can be trained as a solid wall. Perfect for privacy. You could pave the entry path with "Millboards" wharf style boards so it looks like a beach path, they will never rot or need maintenance, otherwise you can use concrete moulded timber look planks. Some flax grasses to add to the coastal look. As for this upstairs Windows, what was the building designer thinking?.. There's a couple of choices, you can create one way visibility with white shutters inside or out, line the glass with sunblock film or have some exterior screens fitted outside with laser cuts screens, timber etc or replace the windows and create a more balanced frontal feature with higher rectangular windows. This cladding can take to a contemporary look, coastal look, bush style etc. the best feature of this cladding is the additional insulation and uniformity. Have fun

Thanks for your thoughts, they have helped us with our decision. We're now planning on using the barramundi roof tile (it's a grey, a bit softer than the soho nights black. And not so shiny) with matching gutter and fascia. And the cladding in paperbark. I was thinking cream windows instead of the timber, so there's some lighter colours on the brick downstairs to tie it to the top. We can't match it exactly to the paperbark cladding because we aren't using aluminium windows, but I'm hoping the cream (which is supposed to be more of an off-white with this manufacturer) will look okay in the clad dormers upstairs. Fingers crossed!

I'am late but would like to add the following I would try to keep the original house along with roof .Adding a new space from the left boundary if allowed if not start at set back 900?. This would include a Master suite Kitchen with WIP and family room. This space can be resized to better suite your budget. The carport to the front for easier access and better use of open space ( driveways are wasted space and log narrow ones are horrible to navigate ie: reversing) The carport with a rear solid wall creates a garden courtyard and provides a lovely outlook for the Master suite. Guests entering into the large living MFR extra light comes from the new sliding doors out to the new side courtyard. The old entrance becomes a separate WC/shower room with a hand basin not shown. Keeping the family bathroom and laundry insitu with a powder room within that space to service family and guests internally and externally. Any of these changes would need a local professional to approve. The addition could also be done as a separate building with narrow breezeway/s connecting both old and new

Hi all, I'm back again! We're almost there and just trying to decide between using axon sycon cladding or weathergroove for the vertical cladding. Would really appreciate your thoughts on whether the axon would look too modern for the house? We're keen on it for durability, low maintenance. We're thinking of the narrow board, smooth and painting it a colour similar to this https://www.haymespaint.com.au/index.php/explore-colours/colorbond/view/12/4941 I've reattached the external photos.. the plan is to replace all the brown cladding and leave the brick as is. Any help would be great. I'm very much a novice! Thank you 🙂