Hi, I'm not clear on the area you are working with. Is it the grass area you want to change or is it the driveway or the inset part of the driveway? Nice house and neighborhood, looks tropical.

Thank you tozmo1, so what I wish to do is excavate all of the dirt & grass where the the double car port is, out to the front of the drive. take out the existing yukky croncrete strips that lead straight to the house and encorporate one matching piece or pieces of something amazing... there is a slope down to the left of the yard (face on) and a terraced top half perhaps - with concrete sleepers ... but just dont know what to lay down as hardscape as there are so many choices.

Thank you for liking the house and the neighbourhood. House is in Brissy so yes subtropical and sunny :-)

Eliminate the old driveway completely and put in a new driveway to the carport. Since the driveway will be used frequently, I suggest a simple but properly framed and poured concrete slab. I would stay away from stamped concrete because it often is somewhat uneven and hard to walk on. The rest of the area can have some combination of grass, groundcover plantings, pebbles and pavers with potted plants and in-ground small trees for color and texture variation. Be sure there is an obvious walkway to the front door from the garage and from the sidewalk.

I would find a local landscape designer/architect and see what he/she suggests..it should be a combination of greens and hardscape. Just hardscape wouldn't be pretty. Here are two options just for the driveway

Much appreciated for the frankness and directness about how stark and municipal carpark it could look, without some softness to break it up. Yes, as you have mentioned the neighbours need consideration in the equation too. Appreciate all comments thus far. Thank you for the pics - always great to get a visual idea. :-)

Brisbane! Lucky you! Some day I'll get to your wonderful country. I agree, you could take out the concrete that is in front of the house that goes to what looks like was the old garage. Keep the entrance from the street in the same place, but curve it to the left into the carport. Plantings of some kind in the area that used to be concrete. I used to have a long, gravel driveway when I lived outside of Chicago. We had to have it refreshed every year because it kept sinking into the ground over the wet, snowy winters. Loved it in the summer as it was much cooler than concrete and I love the idea of no water run off, but it did require maintenance. Here's a nice curving one and also one with some plantings on the side for the neighbors. They look pretty low maintenance, you need to be at the beach!

I think I'd break out the current drive in favor of all grass. Then put in a new one to the carport that has lots of grass incorporated in it.

Thank you tozmo1 and decoenthusiaste, I appreciate your input and I will consider the softer appearance of grass. Just wondering whether the faux grass withstands the traffic of cars. If I was to have concrete strips as you have suggested and where the grass does not grow (under the carported area & in front where traffic prevents normal grass from growing) I could instal faux/synthetic grass.... or am I just going a little insane and thinking way too much about this :-P .... Perhaps you are right tozmo1, I should just get some sea time to clear my befuddled brain! :-)

PS. I would plant normal grass where the existing driveway is, as it will grow there.