The tree now in the lawn is large enough that you can stand to remove another bottom limb or two, with the idea of developing the strong central leader/trunk and letting more light below in order to keep the grass growing healthy.

Having a row of shrubs, a hedge, marching across and in front of the foundation is certainly one way -- a time-honored way -- of treating the front of a house. And surrounding the entrance sidewalk with a planting, as if creating a little pen that is the path to the steps, is another. But I think both of these ways ultimately work against making the front of the house look more inviting and in general, happy.

I think a better way is to arrange the bed line so that it "funnels" one's view toward the entrance. Filling the bed with the largest plant material being farthest away from the entrance helps with this view-funneling effect, as does having the lowest material nearest the entrance. Annuals, with lots of color, is a good choice for the latter spot because it contributes to the happy factor. (The little multi-trunk tree would be made out of a large shrub so that its size stays small. As well, it shouldn't be a shrub with a propensity to sucker badly. Lilacs are borderline on this.) Instead of the hedge of shrubs covering the whole front, I like to coordinate them to windows, thinking that it's enough. And it avoids the smothering-in-shrubs look that comes in a few years. It's easier to maintain, too. What I've shown in purple is likely some kind of perennial mass. The colors or textures don't mean anything more than differentiation of one type plant from the next.

Dividing the bed from the lawn with a border of brick/pavers (as you show in 3rd picture) is fine as long as it is sunk flush into a mowing strip like that.

(I widened the walk/landing a little. No charge on that. :-))

I just want to say your house is so cute!!

I agree. Super cute house!