We have a similar problem in that we really don't like our brickwork in our 1980 built home and have the dark brown window frames. Some people just can't understand why we dislike the bricks and I thought they may grow on me. After 4 years I still can't stand them and can't wait until we can afford to render. If we had a small area like yours I would have got it done long ago. Ours is huge. Don't be tempted to bag the walls. I've seen some shockers, usually people trying to do a cheap 'flip'. As for the windows, my uncle who is a painter & decorator said that as long as the frames are cleaned well they are OK to paint conventionally. The channels will be tricky, but ours need new felts etc. anyway.

I have doeskin window frames and I would like to paint external brick in Dulux green glacier quarter - do you think this would work? Any suggestions please, the gutters and downpipes are in Classic Cream. Thank you. Alida

Suggest rather than hanging g plants that you plant climbers eg a grapevine or bougainvillea into a half wine barrel or into other large pots or elsebreak up the concrete around the car port posts so plant a climber. A pandorea would be nice.Re earlier comment : forget nasturtiums unless for pots of annual colour as they are short living annuals only. You need sturdy perennial climbers to grow over and around the car port to soften it. Replace the white balustrade with something modern and place some lArge modern pot plants with large greenery on the balcony also to soften it. I would suggest a warm cream in place of the stark white to blend with the red brick. They greys and charcoals eg monument are verycookie cutter and a current trend that we are all heartily sick of. Using them will date the house very quickly.

Try monument