It's not going to look good unless you cover the ground solid with plants. Where the Nandinas are, add more (probably triple them as what's there will never grow together.) For the area beyond the Nandinas, you might consider a flowering groundcover like Daylilies @ either 18" or 2' on center x 3 rows ... either hybrids in mixed colors or a single everblooming such as Stella d'Oro. Leave some clearance around the fountain and plant something very low growing--like what you have edging the wall--around it. I love pollarded crapes, but your's are not examples of good form. They look better with a fat, full trunk structure. Then, why pollard at 4' ht.? This creates a foliage mass that is obstructive to the view beyond and not easily walked under (since you have a path nearby.) It would be better to work toward cutting them at a 9' height, by adding a couple feet of height each year. If these were mine, I'd start them over by cutting at 6" height and keeping a bouquet full of trunks when they return.

I think that solving the main problems is going to boil down to two things: the walk; and the making the entrance visible. The walk should definitely be wider - 5' could be a goal, maybe wider near the stoop - and then it should make a better connection with the drive. I don't think this means to necessarily cut across the lawn with it. Given that the yard is small, you could widen the drive a bit with whatever the walk material is, continue on by widening the city sidewalk with the same material, and then turn the corner with the walk, heading to the entrance ... in effect bordering the yard with a "U"-shape "invitation" that extends from the drive to the entrance. (The portions adjacent drive and city walk would not be the same width as the main walk to the entrance. They would be like decorative borders.) When it comes to the portion of walk that heads toward the entrance, I think it would be beneficial to pull it away from the neighbor's drive and incorporate and "S"-curve into it. That way, room for a SMALL tree could be created between the walk and neighbor's drive. It would also have the benefit of making it look like it belongs to your property without any question. Note how entrances are typically clearly marked by some type of enlarged, often raised, paved area, and a roofed covering that offers shelter from the elements. I think you need to create such a structure over the walk, in the front yard, near to the house. It would be the obvious first "entrance" that people reach when approaching the house. But after they've reached it there would be no question about where they would continue to in order to reach the actual house entrance. The structure could be a very nice arbor, or it could be more architectural in nature (such as with brick columns and an actual roof.) BTW, I don't think there's the first thing wrong with your yellow brick. Maybe you're bored of it and that is the driving force behind staining it. But I think it would be a mistake, or highly inefficient at the least, to attempt to change it to another color. If the brick was flat out ugly I'd be all for it. But it's not. You might end up creating, after spending a lot of money and effort, something that is not near as nice. If you could replace the top panel of the garage door with one that has windows all the way across, that would resolve the boring quality of the existing door. There seem to be two main approaches to planting: smother the house with hedges; and smother the house with a variety of all kinds of plants strewn in a randomish fashion. You might consider "matching" shrubs to windows (like steps would be "matched" to a door) as the main shrubs of the landscape scheme. Perennials and annuals can be fit around them in some artistic scheme, keeping it simple preferably. I would plan on keeping shrubs below the window sill height. I would hunt for a spot for another small tree at the right side of the house. (We can't see that area.)

Kitasei, you are so right! I posted photos where I moved them, as not only do I need a casual flair (a little eclectic play), but I recognize how I can "have it all" by moving them to the more casual side of my property. One of my top priorities is connecting with people. My street is known to be one of the top most-walked, friendly streets in the city. Since I absolutely love connecting, I strike up conversations with those walking by and sometimes they linger. When I had benches (and once tried a patio table, chairs and umbrella), seldom would anyone join me. When I switched them out for my Adirondacks and a little table (above), they started to sit down and chat. There's something to be said for breaking the mold! In this case I have enough room to place them on the far side of my property (above). ...AND I DO like to be as true to architectural character as reasonable. I always want to know if something stands out...out of character! Thank you so much.

As far as the damaged tree, I don't think you can do anything about it. First it looks like the tree is mending itself. Second which you sort of confirmed the tree is in the easement for the street and technically is not yours, but belongs to the city. So the city will decide if it stays or goes. It looks like that it is far enough from your home that even if it falls straight at the closes part of your house there will be no damage. You have a pretty house. If it were mine I would add some flowering plants like roses, forsythia, Spirea, laura pendulum to add a little color to the house. May be a pretty pink cherry in the on the left about half way between the street an the house.