Great to hear that you have decided not to paint the brickwork. Can I offer my opinion - I'd suggest painting the garage door and surrounding frame and the adjacent beam and column (currently white) in a dark charcoal/brown to match the ground floor brickwork try Dulux Namandji or Mali. I would redo the retaining wall with large boulders in a more freestyle layout than the current straight line and take up some of the concrete drive near the retaining wall to create a garden on the lower level, curved to still provide access to all of the undercroft unless you wish to enclose part of it with a large full height window. I'd love to see the wrought iron balustrade painted black. My home in the mid sixties had salmon coloured bricks, white window frames and fabulous turquoise gutters! The downpipes were painted to match the bricks thankfully - turquoise might have been a bit over the top! Good luck with your project, would love to see your progress. W

Is your final photo of the vanity you already have? I also thought adding legs would take it back to the MCM you are after. Would be interesting to know how the silver drawer pull is attached. Not sure about painting it matte black as I thought timber furnishings were more prevalent then, but it's totally your choice. I hope you will post updates as you go. I just love mid-century.

You have a lovely young family they only get bigger. I'ts a shame that you can't find another position for the TV as it would be good to be able to see it from the Kitchen via your peninsular, so as to keep an eye on what the kids are watching especially as they get a bit bigger. I'am feeling a bit over the WIP and the idea of walking into a small often dark space, I really like the narrow hidden pantry (Running parallel behind the kitchen). I also like the full length pantries that can be shallow or with draws to make it easy to find things, with either sliding or opening doors. What height is the wall between the new dining and kitchen

I suggest the very first thing to do , would be to decide your budget and what you want to achieve , and to a certain degree what the suburb is like ? If it's the 'worst' house in an upmarket suburb , then $100K or even $200k may really lift its value , but if its in a 'cheaper' suburb , you may over capitalise . Like others , some things I'd look at -- -- Do the gardens , trim the tree , looks more like rank grass along the side of the driveway ? Maybe a white stone garden , with a Yukka ort similar . -- The concrete driveway looks 'drunk' , but that may be because of the shapes it was laid in ? Level it , take the front out to the street , talk to an expert about doing a one-run top coat of concrete . -- Remove the fairy lights , relocate the satelite dish . -- Personally , Id frame upwards on the top of the carport and lounge roof , and also the first floor roof , and put bright 25-30cm tall painted or powder coasted alloy panels -- cover the gutters and 'hide' the solar panels . Paint or coat them whatever colour you like , but I'd go for something like bright yellow or orange or red , mid blue , a crisp green ? -- Someone suggested brown wooden 'louvres' full-length over the upstairs windows . I'd be tempted to go with that idea ( buy 30mmx30mm pine , and a mid brown stain -- 6 or 8 'rails' along that upstairs on the side and front you can see in the pictures . Instead of mid-brown stain , a black/charcoal may suit better , especially if you go with those bright panels . -- Maybe a fence in the same 30 x 30 horizontal wood , same stain colour -- ties the upstairs to the 'ground' level ? Relatively budget , and can be done in several steps , but would 'lift' it no end IMO .