Painting all your trims Monument would look fabulous, also the fences and garage, looks great with red brick, adding a modern structure outside window could give an architectural element, planting a row of ornamental pears with a ground cover like trachelospermum asiaticum ‘flat mat’ would be wonderful along driveway, that stone wall is beautiful , remove the wall ornament, highlight it with lighting to have an amazing feature to your entrance, build a pergola outside doors at back, you could extend decking if needed.

Thanks Julie, I’m glad you don’t think it will be to dark! the planned pergola for the front is pretty simple but somewhat similar to your photo with the nice square lines. We have been pondering what to put outside the French doors. I will definitely investigate the trees you suggested. And as for the garage I had only considered cladding but going the whole hog and painting would be a fair bit easier. I’ll post an update oh and here’s what we started with.
Thanks again

I agree with Julie...IMO red/orange brick and monument are a combo made for each other :)

Everything in monument won't look too dark - it'll just look more modern and classy!

Thanks Robandlyn, I’ll get a move on and post some progress pics.

Yes to a dark roof. Love the change to awnings and windows and the white shutters brighten things up. I am not a fan of the dark door and think a timber door would be better and I’d be inclined to go timber on the pergola. A mid-deep rich timber stain. I’m also not keen on the stone wall and that may be an alternative place to add some timber. But everyone like diff things so mine is only options to toss around and make your decisions harder. Sorry.

Hi Kate,
No need to apologise I tend to agree!
There’s Nothing wrong with constructive criticism!
We did the door first before the window was repaired.
And anything to get rid of the beige really.
Plus We’ve always wanted a black door but in hindsight it does tend to close it in.
The stone is a mixed bag, some days I don’t mind it other days it reminds me of the 80’s and want it changed to timber battens.
I like the suggestion of timber pergola that would be a nice contrast too.
Thanks

Thanks bigreader,
I’m tending to believe Monument is the way! Haha
I will investigate your plants too!
There are so many to choose from.

In my opinion the stone looks ...not nice. A negative change to existing building. As you have posted. YES, cover it in timber battens. That will look perfect, with the red brick and dark trims.

If you do like the Lomandra search “Lomandra tube stock” when you’re ready to buy. You’ll see suppliers with a range and the tubes are about $6. After 12-18mths they’ll have exceeded the growth of the $20+ plants you’ll buy at a nursery.

Dreamer, that’s a nice way to say you think it’s horrible haha😂
Glad you think the battens will raise the bar!

Cheers Bigreader I’ll definitely have a look! I like that idea

I like the stone wall , but not with the mission brown roof . But I'll offer another suggestion for the roof -- don't go dark , go a silvery blue ! Its modern , the darker window frames are modern , the stone wall spans all the eras , and the brick is livable . A modern cedar type front door ( maybe a sliver of glass down one side or similar -- either in the door or beside it if theres space ) or if budget is tight , paint the door an offwhite ( surfmist would look good and tie in with the silvery blue roof tones ) .

Then add some bamboo , bright pots , grasses -- modern plants , in front of your green hedge .

Thanks Pottsy, the roof is actually terracotta (conc tile) but really grimy and a bit mossy.
We hadn’t considered silvery blue that’s for sure but I will check it out.
Definitely need a new door as the previous owners dog attempted to chew their way to freedom..
I actually have a sample pot of Surf Mist, so I might give it a whirl since I’m in painting mode.
My partner wants a yellow door… but seems a bit close to Richmond colours for my liking though.
Nice idea about the coloured pots too. We inherited all those terracotta ones from the previous owner.
Cheers

This is a bit greyer than I was thinking , but gives you the idea

I dont like the blues on the lower level though , but obviously someone does haha .

I love your sense of humour, Richmond colours lol 😂 adding a structural look in your planting outside the window would look fabulous against the gorgeous shutters, I think your ideas so far sound great, (still love the stone wall lol)

Nice! It might go really well with the dark gutters and fascia
I’m not sold on the lower level either, hopefully the owners do lol

Thanks Julie, those doors are great! This pic is one of my favourites (the door) We’re thinking of keeping the wall as is until the pergola is up and will reevaluate. I thought I could make a batten frame to see how it all works. If it doesn’t look any good could use it near the French doors to mottle the afternoon sun. Is that a Yucca? Argh!! Nooo. I still have nightmares…

Nooo, don’t plant yukkas, worst plant in the world, that’s a cordyline Australis, planting using something like these will give the garden a real modern look, it’s a great house and your ideas sound lovely.

Thanks Julie, I read somewhere it should be spelt Yuck As.. 😂
I will look up the Cordyline next time I’m at the nursery. 🍻

Yes definitely 😂 similar to the Richmond coloured door😂 lol, can’t wait to see what you do .

You don't say where you live and no-one seems to be taking it into account. A Monument roof will mean your house is much hotter than it needs to be - OK if you're in Tassie, not so good in Qld, unless you want to run AC all through summer. Climate is also important for plant suggestions. Ornamental pears are lovely, but for cooler climates. They are small trees but some plant suggestions (e.g. lomandra little con) grow to 400cm which wouldn't cover much of your fence. What height were you thinking of?

PS - meant to say I agree with getting rid of/covering up the stone wall. I don't think it goes with the house at all.

Hi Kath, I completely forgot about climate for the trees and roof. We’re in Geelong so Mild temperate climate. Planning on redoing insulation so roof colour shouldn’t be an issue.
In regard to the trees/hedge/screen our neighbours are slightly elevated so look straight over the fence to the lounge and bedrooms. Trees only need to be small-medium ~3-4m high but also thin enough to allow for the driveway. The garden bed is ~0.8m but we plan on shrinking it to 0.5-0.6m.
Initially thinking Lilly Pilly but am not keen for flowers or berries making a mess (nor are the neighbours haha) thought of ficus too but am reluctant because of their roots.
As for that stone wall 😂 that’s a work in progress.

Ficus and their roots!!

Hi Nicko

I wouldn't be planting ficus beside a driveway.

The lilly pillies I've grown only have flowers/fruit once a year - if you see flowers/fruit as a disadvantage. (Ficus also drop fruit.) They don't mind a lot of pruning, grow quickly, are evergreen so will be a screen all year round, and have soft foliage if your car does brush against them. Some varieties have been selected to be narrow. Also look for psyllid resistant varieties, though maybe that's not a problem in Geelong?

I've grown Slim Callistemon (a bottlebrush) in a narrow space, and that would be worth considering .

https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/slim-callistemon-is-a-great-hedge-for-tight-planting-areas-native-shrubs-ground-covers/

Kath

There are attractions to a modular build in this era of building companies collapsing, and there is always the faster construction time. I can see the appeal especially if you’re paying the exorbitant rent common to that area.

Hi Kath,

Thanks for the Callistemon suggestion.
We just don’t want flowers or berries dropping all over the place. The neighbours have an immaculate drive and they were very tolerant of the previous owners crazy jasmine that was flailing around over the top of the old fence.

No, I agree with the Ficus next to the drive
I just ike the look and lime colour.

I’ve been tinkering with the idea of Lilly Pilly Sublime or Waterhousea floribunda for the colour and just unsure if they can be kept at 700mm wide. The weeping one may lose its weeping habit if trimmed to thin? Also the old flower situation 😂

My suggestion for your hedge would have been Lilly Pilly sublime. Looks great with any style home, can be trimmed to keep it narrow or left to grow as they will. 700 wide is plenty of width, could easily be trimmed to keep narrower than that.

Awesome! thanks Wendyec.

Straight and narrow Syzygium is great, psyllid free , slender and compact perfect for driveways, I absolutely love waterhousia , the weeping habit is stunning, it could need more clipping and as you said it could lose that weeping effect

Thanks Julie, good tips!
I’ve compared a few here

https://www.specialitytrees.com.au/trees/categories/driveway-kah89

Now I just need to go see some examples in a nursery.