We just had the stucco finish you are describing applied to our house in northern California. We will also be applying ti to a retaining wall. It is a custom pigment incorporated into the stucco and the resulting surface is the skill of application. To create a lasting finish that will not crack horribly over time requires a very professional job. I think we have 6 layers - plus a mesh layer. It is still going to have hairlines in it over time but without the mesh it will most certainly look very spiderweb like before too long. I love the finish - it is like venetian plaster on the exterior of our home without the gloss I don't really care for in VP. We did American Clay on our interior walls and it strikes some people as funny that we have the smooth finish on the outside and the more rough organic texture on the inside. Our contractor said we could seal it to avoid the changes in color - that mottle effect - that weather changes - moisture - cause. I said no way. I love that it is a "living finish and changes.

I LOVE your house and II would not touch that mortar - it goes nicely with the aged stone look. I would stay in the brown family for roof color to compliment the aged stone look - not a color that is bright or harsh or crisp. The door is too "fancy" for the house and all the trim is too "crisp" white...look in the cream/taupe/earth-tone family. Not navy or black. Shrubs need to go - think subtle English countryside landscaping. I also agree on clapboard, not stucco, for your addition. I can see ivy climbing the walls - but won't suggest that as you can never get rid of it and it is not good for your stone. Looking forward to your transformation.

I chose satin paint. The guy at Home Depot said one coat might be enough but it's white so it'd be hard to tell if I missed a spot. Surely I am able to see imperfections a bit more now that I've painted (and the lighting changes in the bathroom so often that it's hard to see in there while analyzing the walls at times). Once that bathroom is done I won't analyze the walls and I'll be happy with it. As for now I love the smooth texture, but the extra `10% of blemishes really was the way to go for me. I had to do a few touch ups on some areas where there were bumps coming through from the old drywall and I smoothed those but they certainly look imperfect, which doesn't matter due to the imperfections. We've never had mold and in Phoenix, even when our wall did have water damage, years later, there was no mold to be found so I think we're fine. Thx for all the help and direction! Now to figure out if I will have the tile guy put in a little handle somewhere for if we get old in this house or at least put a stud for one and mark where valves will go for the plumber who will come Friday. :)

FYI Romabio is good at what they do ... no argument here.... but they have a limited range of only whites & very light grays and it cannot be applied to anything with conventional house paint on it, only raw unpainted masonry or other mineral paint applications. There are several other mineral paint (aka potassium silicate) paint co's in the US, a couple of which have a sort of "primer" product which can go over conventional paint - try this is one : https://www.beeckmineralpaints.com/ For best results though I think Id still want to get off as much of the paint film as possible .... but without going too far and damaging the brick. Then the primer product, and then the mineral paint. Of course this would be hugely labor intensive or expensive to hire out, that is assuming you can even find anyone who has heard of mineral paint or would want to do it. At the very least find a person who understands the science about this and doesnt shrug off the concerns - maybe there are some other types of breathable coatings that I dont know about. Michelle above is correct - any coatings need to be breathable, or there WILL be damage, its only a matter of time. The brick bldg across the street from me was painted only 12 yrs ago and is already spalling (ie brick cracking and disintegrating) terribly in some places near bldg exhaust vent and other places Its really sad how the big box, do it cheap mentality of the last 30-40 yrs has resulted in so much shoddy workmanship that is now considered the norm.... and actual physical damage. Not many people thinking long term any more, beyond 10 or 20 yrs.