Thanks a mil! That's the thing about new colour. It does take some getting used to. However I had my babies room, a spare room and the inside of my front door painted at the same time last week and love all of the colours chosen but this one I just can't look at. It turned out to be more of a minty green than the colour samples on the wall. One of the fabrics below are being make up in a footstool and I think it may be overkill with too much colour. I wanted the coushions and footstool to pop as those are the things you spend the most amount of money on rather than the paint. In saying that. The cost of the paint was expensive and also paying someone to do it. Now to do it all over again is not ideal.:(. i took the cushions and fabric into one of my other rooms to see what it looked like against a more neutral background and felt it looked a little better. See pics below. Any other paint suggestions are much appreciated.

I would use plants to brighten the space. The hardscapes are all good, they just look a bit naked and grim. It can be hard to make a space pretty but usable for the kids too, but its not impossible. You have a lovely sitting area to enjoy. Plant some lovely feature bushes in that gravel area. You don't need to completely hide the clothesline, but having something pretty and showy in front will create a boundary and the eye will be drawn to the plants instead of the washing. If you can't plant into the soil there, some large size pots will work. Maybe some medium sized (1-2metre) ornamental trees in pots, like citrus, a weeping ornamental cherry, or bay trees, moptop robinias are nice too. They will be compact. You could cluster some pots of herbs underneath or plant them and let them ramble a little. Herbs like thyme and rosemary and lavender will suit the gravel area and the heat and be hardy with kids playing around, the odd bike falling on them or crushing underfoot would be quite okay. bulbs in pots or planted around the edges of the lawn are great value low maintenance and hardy colour. You can get great seasonal variation in your view then. Online bulb stores like tesselar and garden express sell bulk landscaping bulbs at very reasonable prices. You can get hundreds of bulbs for $30-50. Bulbs are great hardy plants that won't be killed by the odd soccer ball either. The flowers may get knocked over or the leaves, but the bulb is safe under the soil. Cheap and cheerfuls like nasturtiums are good value colour that will self seed every season. Also, plant some very bright flowering shrubs behind the soccer net and against the far wall. Maybe some hibiscus? You need something to catch and entice the eye, plant some large flowering shrubs with larger or bright flowers or foliage you will be able to appreciate from a distance.

You really don't have any color scheme going on in here. I do see a gold range so I worked around that. Here are some ideas of colors you could add . I'm not crazy about accent walls, but you do need to add color to at least one of your walls - be it intense or even just a tint of color: Sherwin Williams Jetstream Sherwin Williams Sprout Sherwin Williams Composed I also added in a white or off white (or you could do color) back splash over your stove and counters. Once you have some color then you can add window dressings. I suggest roman shades, which you can get in many patterns and colors. Then find some art work that compliments your new colors - check on art.com, Overstock.com or Wayfair.com.

It might be an idea to get a local arboriculturist to assess the trees before planting anything. If they've not been looked at for a while there may be some thinning, branch removal, felling to be done. They will also advise if any have disease. Then see what you have left. Some thinning can increase light levels and moisture enabling you to plant more varieties of plants and create character areas in the garden. Shade areas with ferns or sunny glades. Japanese azaleas work well on the fringe. Swathes of cyclamen look beautiful. Generally, large swathes of the same plant looks more natural, as it gives the appearance the plant has colonised naturally. As ever, the RHS is a great starting point. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=430