surely you are not serious about your brick choice? I really like it and I can be really mean about your style of house! having the two colours of brick is pretty original and you've chosen great colours, the dark with white mortar is always classy and I'd expect it to be paired with render so having it combined with the lighter brick is the pleasant difference. and it sets up a nice masonry three-way with the tile roof. all it needs is the green. like everyone said just get the landscaping right, plenty of lush green in the right places and it'll be just right. if you add some timber make sure you get the colour right, what's the front door?

Louie - pretty well I think. See my latest renditions below. I have been playing around with how to screen off that toilet/shower area from the living room. Not only would it be preferable to keep the toilet out of sight, but it would also be nice if people pop go down and up the stairs to visit the toilet or shower without having to do a short "walk-of-shame" past the potentially occupied living/dining room. I was thinking a of having a partially-drawn pair of curtains or perhaps one of those dangle-y "fly curtain" type things to disrupt the view a bit, but then I thought a set of swinging doors with tinted/diffuse glass in them, because: 1. You can charge in and out of this busy area by just pushing through the set of doors, and letting them swing back in to place behind you (like saloon doors) 2. The glass panes will still allow the person to see if anyone is on the other side, so they don't bowl them over. Will also let natural light in. Also means could do away with the laundry door perhaps, since it will be kind-of redundant (main purpose was to eliminate washing machine noise in the living area) 3. The doors also stop heat from the fireplace drifting up the stairs on cold winter nights when the fire is going. Not a crucial thing at all, but a nice additional benefit Thanks for sharing the floor plans - it's given me a much clearer picture of what you've done with that pole house...looks fantastic! brizcs - great point about the chair by the window, that's really struck a chord with me so I am toying with ways to do this. One idea I had is in the plan below: Rather than put a narrow table hard against the glass, maybe swing the kitchen table 90 degrees, make it longer, and have people sit along the south side looking out the windows most of the time. When it's night time or there are lots of guests or whatever just drag the chairs to the other side and you're back to the conventional set up. If a table where flush against the windows it would mean a lot of direct sunlight on its surface throughout the cooler months, due to the low angle of the sun (glare might become a problem?)

Hi. I agree painting the posts & blocks (if you need to keep them for structural support) white. Another idea if you are handy is to build a timber rail and balustrade (painted white?) in place of the lattice. The lattice does provide some shade lower down, but maybe you want a different look. Your bricks are a good colour, and I like your Acapulco chairs and the macrame pot hanger. I think you could run with those colours (along with the white paint idea) and pull off a Mexican theme in this space.

As everyone has said it looks good but sometimes you just need to update and change. There is products available, Kerlite porcelain cladding for one. Kerlite is a thin porcelain cladding that comes in many colours and textures. Can be used on walls floors bathrooms, outside etc. I had a small court yard with a door leading to the garage. I covered the door and the rendered wall to make it all flush and create a feature wall. Basically there is nothing you can’t cover and the colour and texture range now is unbelievable. Kerlite is definitely not a diy job, you need the experienced tiler. Also it’s been out for a while now and I’m pretty sure there is tile cladding etc etc. maybe google porcelain cladding, there will be similar products. Check it out I highly recommend it.