I think you have to go with plants that are a minimum of one zone hardier, preferably two, in regards to outdoor containers. ( no crape myrtle)
I've seen Ilex verticillata, red and yellow twig dogwood, Chamaecyparis obtusa nana cultivars in large containers.
Some winterberry holly cultivars are not huge and you may need a male pollinator if there isn't one in the neighborhood.
A mix of evergreen and deciduous plantings would be of more interest, and perhaps a few bulbs in there, too. ( snowdrops, Scilla, etc.
I'll ask at Scott Arboretum for further recommendations.

Okay- thanks to Carol, I can now send a link for what this barren patio looks like:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b323/adiehl13/patio.jpg

Any and all ideas are welcome. As you can see, we are basically starting from scratch (and this isn't a new house- which is funny because the previous owner didn't even put foundation plants in). I was told that if we put 2 large container plants on either side of the steps that we better use the heavier pots, like ceramic, because the roots would freeze in the winter. We were going to use some really large Resin planters (because they're lighter), but if anyone can confirm we should be using the heavier material that would be great.

So- what do we put in those pots? Steeds holly? What else would provide some contrast against the house and some visual interest?

We were thinking maybe we should put shutters on the back of the house just to add some interest? Any other ideas- plants or otherwise.

Thanks in advance for the help. My husband and I are novice gardners- but we're going to get up to speed really quickly as we plant beds around this new patio.

How about pots of bamboo? I just planted a couple. It's a very pretty plant... nicely vertical, easy to grow, evergreen if you get the right kind.

Looks like that triangle on the far right corner was made for a tree. One is begging to go in there! ;-)

One concern about putting pots where you indicate (next to the doors?) is watering - ie., they look like they would be under the roof overhang. This could mean that they never get natural water, so you'd have to make sure that you manually do that AND it could also lead to snow/ice sliding off the roof in winter, right onto whatever you put there, so keep that in mind. Evergreens in the wrong exposure are tricky to deal with in winter.

It seems that barring that, it might be prettier to go with trough containers and perhaps plant something that would go the length of the wall on each side - eg., something that can grow tall and bloom like cannas, etc. The blooms would set off the wall pretty decently. If the exposure gets a good amount of sun, the trough containers could actually host a season of progressive bulb blooms, from spring through to fall.

What direction does the back of the house face and how much sun is back there?

Oh and if you can get to Styer's in Concordville, they sell large containers - whether concrete, resin, ceramic, etc. I think Waterloo Gardens in Devon does too.

Jenny- yes- triangle in the corner is getting a tree. We think a Crepe myrtle. It's a SouthWest exposure. Full sun in the afternoon. Very hot. Trough containers are an interesting idea. I live right near Styers.

The crape sounds like a great idea. Full sun in the back will need consideration for plants that can take that. One of my sister's has a deck facing south and the sun back there in summer can be brutal. She's been slowly landscaping around her deck and is trying some ornamental grasses in the front of the deck (the grasses coming from dividings taken from my other sister, whose grasses had grown so large that she had to tame them by dividing in thirds... LOL).

The last time I was at Styers, I saw they had their large containers (including the resin ones) closest to the entrance side of the place but back on the opposite corner from the main building.

I would really think about it for a bit before buying. Maybe check out some of the gardening magazines to see what they do against stucco. Consider whether you want something that blooms, whether shrub or perennial, and what it looks like before and after bloom. Also consider what style you want the rest of your yard to be (eg., whether formal or cottage style or mediterranean or even tropical, etc) and that might help you decide what to put out there. You may suddenly become enamored with bananas and create a tropical paradise out there with some hardy bananas (eg., Musa basjoo). You never know how it all might evolve!

Once you soften the edges of the house and patio with foundation plants and trees, that alone will make a significant difference with the look and feel of the space.

I'll share my experience with trees in pots. I bought two large (larger than you really think you'll need) resin pots from Linen and Things (years ago). Drill a couple of holes in the bottom. Fill the first few inches with packing peanuts or something to create adequate drainage. I planted alberta spruce because of their slow, compact growth, and their year round green color. I water manually over the summer, and let nature do its thing the other three seasons. I've had them for at least five years and they have stayed healthy. Just last year I trimmed them into spiral topiary shapes.

These pots are on the north side of the house, and I don't provide any additional protection during the winter months.

A neighbor down the street tried to copy the same idea, but used pots that were too small, so the trees made the pots top heavy, and they were always on their side. Visually, her pots looked like the right size to use, so keep in mind you need to go for the biggest you can find, even if it looks a little out of proportion at first.

Didn't realize Linen and Things had pots! Thanks for that tip! :-D

Digging in the dirt- Thanks for the tips. I will look at LNT for some pots. I had heard that tip about the styrofoam peanuts for drainage. Alberta spruce just might be the ticket. Still considering the Steed's holly but will need to consult a professional.

Linens and things might not have many or any left at this point in the season.

I also saw very large ones someplace recently, and made a mental note to remember where...hmmmm...can't remember where, but since I don't get out much (!), the possibilities are Lowes, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, or Stauffer's of Kissel Hill (in the Lancaster Area).