It makes me cross that people think they have a right to make some quite negative comments on this post. Masmccar76 put these photos on because she thought people would like to see a genuinely lovely transformation of her garden. Instead there have been some downright nasty comments. By all means make comments but keep them constructive. Houzz is all about is sharing ideas, not about being nasty

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.

Paint the doors black matt and the fames cream add silver crome door furniture. Huge silver mirror above the covered radiator then add a runner of any colour you like and match it with the lamps and lighting. hey presto done.

Morning You say that privacy isn't an issue so I would dress the main window and the small window on the left hand wall with roman blinds. I would mount the blinds outside of the recess t make more of a feature and not steal any of the light. Regarding the two narrow windows I would leave them undressed and get two matching vases, ornaments etc and place them on the window sill to make a feature. I think that blinds would be too fussy and would detract from the rest of the room. If you wanted privacy you could always add some frosting to the two narrow windows The furniture you've chosen is beautiful I'm sure it will look fab! Really hope this helps, good luck with the rest of your project!