UPDATE to post: Welcoming and privacy entry zone 7a. I am going for the mediteranian style or look. I bought Taylors (juniper) but having hard time positioning them.

some ideas

Thank you for your idea. I have 6 taylors/junipers to use/start which will be for my mediteranian style. I have a bluestone walkway close to the porch. I am facing north.

One condition that almost never works out -- either physically or visually -- is having low-branched trees above shrubs. The shade of the trees keeps the shrubs from growing or becoming full. Too, the picture becomes visually confusing when the lower portion of trees nearly "mixes" with the upper portion of shrubs, with the net result being an unkempt or disheveled look. Where trees and shrubs are in close proximity, the trees must be limbed up sufficiently that plenty of light gets below them to the shrubs. Screening of the 'ground floor' area should come from the shrubs, not the trees. If you want privacy in the front yard, grow the hedge taller (and trim and cultivate it properly so it is full and healthy.) Your property would look better if the hedge was consistent. It seems spotty with gaps and miscellaneous plant material at intervals. Where the trees are, you'll need shade tolerant shrub materials and limb the trees up so it will grow. At these two locations, plant material could differ from the hedge, but it should be planted thick and full so as to look intentional. This is something you'd lay out in a plan before beginning.

You mention having some Junipers already, and now trouble "positioning them." What was your plan before buying them? The plan scheme comes first. Then one determines what plants will fulfill the obligations of the scheme. Then, one buys the plants (since they already have a predetermined position.) It sounds like you might be approaching landscaping backwards, which is bound to cause problems. Create the PLAN first.

It is nearly a contradiction to want both "welcoming" and "privacy" for the same place at the same time. These two conditions are working against one other. Welcoming suggests showing something off (especially an entrance.) Privacy suggests concealing something (especially an entrance.) You've got to determine exactly what you want privacy from and exactly where you want things to look welcoming, as obviously, this is going to be physically a fine, possibly knife edge, line.

Regarding the 18" strip of ground adjacent to the neighbor's property, this is not sufficient width to allow for any plant material that will create privacy. Privacy would need to come from a wall or fence. There would likely be code considerations to follow so be sure to check out what your locality allows. Visually, it's not going to be a "plus" for your house to bring a privacy fence or wall into the front yard area, even if your city allows it (which they probably don't.) Generally, the privacy height should stop equivalent with the house. (There are going to be exceptions to this general rule.)

some idea from a different view