Painting will make the house look alot newer and refreshed

Non painted brick require the least maintenance, so I would not paint them. And the lighter the roof, the less heat they absorb (less a/c), so I'd say either a natural ceramic (the orange terracotta) or light grey (shingles or aluminum for example) and when you can afford them wooden shingles would look amazing (especially once they turn a bit silver). I think brick looks great with greys, from offwhite to concrete to charcoal. Light grey window trims, dark (warm) grey poles and trim, planks and front door somewhere inbetween. Or even better a natural wooden front door, cedar color.
Are there any colors you would love to see out there?

Thanks I would prefer not to paint the bricks. I was thinking of boxing up the posts to make them a bit bigger and painting them white and the roof a dark grey and the trim and wood panel white also. What do you think ? But now I also like your ideas. And like the use of cedar looks great on the pic's

You can use lighting to give a colour wash at night - but it's high maintenance as Rinqreation has already pointed out to paint brick ! I would also recommend avoiding that on outside bricks. So if you truly want to change the appearance render or barge boards are the way to go... The roof looks fine - did I read correctly that you want to change it ?!?

Roof needs to be resealed. so was thinking about changing colour while having that done its no difference in cost. Ok white may not be the go. husband seems to think that the timber under all the brown may be cedar but that would be alot of sanding.

Aaah ! That explains the roof colour option !!
Re the cedar - can you hire an industrial sander or employ a company to sandblast ?!?!?!

This is the marmite option - you'll either love it of hate it
http://houzz.com/photos/1074283

Or
http://houzz.com/photos/1133135

Or
http://houzz.com/photos/87007
Just click roof colours in the search box in photos here on Houzz for thousands of photos - there's bound to be one that floats your boat!!!

Thanks OnePlan

Leave the house as it is. A beautiful garden is all you need. Scoria may be a better choice of stone (is it a drive?) as it will enhance the colours of your home.

As a brick manufacturer, we love the look of natural brick and its durability. However, if you do decide to paint the brick, please be prepared for increased maintenance. According to The Brick Industry Association, “Most paint authorities agree that, once painted, exterior masonry will require repainting every three to five years.”

Yeah don't paint the brick, do paint the roof though. If you can sand the wood the cedar would look nice, if not I would probably go for a lighter colour on all the wood panels and window frames but maybe a dark like the charcoal colour for the posts. I see these type of houses a lot, is it late 70's-early 80's? It reminds me of my parents house before they renovated, brown frames & skirting and textured orange glass. ;-)

Textured orange glass.. Not even pretty orange.. As if a heavy smoker had been locked in the hallway 24/7 year after year..

Yes that's right and usually the carpet and lino match the orange glass too, if your still lucky enough to have all originals in the house. ;-)

On closer inspection, after clicking on photo of door and amber glass panel, I think a new, larger, front door in charcoal. The roof and trim would look good in a charcoal tone. I really like your bricks. Avoid white trim with them. Forget red scoria as it wouldn't go with charcoal grey. A native garden would look great. Guessing your home is in an Australian suburb ... as mine is.

I love the roof work with it !

Im heading towards Charcoal grey now. I like the idea of a big front door too.

Or even a pair of french doors. Instead of the windows if that would work with your interior design on the covered porch area. Some new landscaping will update even more than painting.

I like the idea of a large door, also makes it easier when moving furniture in or out the house. You could get a door custom made. http://realdoorsmelbourne.com.au/index.html
I don't know if the link will work, I just saw these. I'm sure there are other places around too. :-)

It worked. :-)

There's a lovely house no doubt behind all those overgrown shrubs. The Chinese tiled roof and shape of the house look very Asian. Don't know why there's so many post ( necessary for support ?) but I'd incorporate them into an Asian style pergola over a tiled patio and landscape with a simple garden with low growing evergreens, stones, ornamental grasses and a few flowers . Below is a doodle of my ideas.

I loved all the custom pivot doors on the brochure and think they would suit the Asian style of your home, as Sweet Caroline says. I think you could get away with the roof as it is, and as it doesn't tone in with the bricks, a simple low-cost and green solution would be to put in a few well-placed plants so all you see from the street are the roof and windows. When you pass through the garden to the veranda the brickwork will only be seen with windows, new pivot door and maybe a pot of bamboo standing under the new wall lamp. Charcoal grey matches both bricks and roof.

Love the trees, so go with a bushland setting. First remove the three shortest bushes in the centre and replace them with something that can grown to their full size without trimming, ideally with contrasting foliage. If you don't use the area in the foreground then you could cover the entire area with garden. Use the bluestone for stepping stones then rake the smaller stones to fill in the gaps around them to form a winding path through the garden. If your climate is dry dig bowl shaped depressions to place each plant in so any water they receive drains into their root system. Make sure the plants you choose fit with the level of gardening you are prepared to do.

Love your ideas sure starting to make me look at the place a whole lot differently. Thanks

Hey Caroline - there's a unicorn in your garden design ! How cool !!!! Lol !! Seriously though, that's a great suggestion !!!