Tree decisions are really best done from a "felt" perspective on the site, not from a picture taken from outside (and looked at by people who have never been there). So with respect to removal, only do it now if you really want to, not because someone on the internet has said so, even if it is me :-) And I think you still haven't told us what kind of tree it is? It's still possible that it is something really wonderful with deep roots, and if the shade is in exactly the right place, ignoring me IS an option! For new tree placement, start with thinking about where and what time of day you want shade (I don't think you've told us yet which way the house faces). And then, from looking out the windows, which views do you want to block/enjoy? And then, what do you want arriving guests or the pizza delivery guy to be able to see? Imagine the canopy starting at about 8' high. Have once person stand inside and look out while the other goes outside holding something - an upside-down rake or an umbrella - to help imagine what it would look like from inside to have a tree in certain spots. Compare this to the existing tree. Looking out from the house, or from your side door, if you could wave a magic wand, where would you move its canopy to... right, the left, or lower? Sometimes we have certain ideas in our heads that we have to work through or see before we can let go of them, and I detect you have a certain adherence to plantings lining the walkway! The sidewalk does make a handy edge, and it is nice to have growing things to enjoy as you walk to the front door (although you more often use the other door, you say). And it gives you a place to start - it can be scary to let go of the edge and plunge a shovel somewhere in the middle of the yard. The downside of these edge plantings is that they are constraining. Hard to have a fridge delivered, or to bring Aunt Mabel in for Christmas dinner with her walker, or along the driveway, hard to open a car door and step out. I am showing below a doodled idea that expands the sidewalk a bit, but whether you plant along a sidewalk or driveway that is narrow or wide, going tall along it - with trees - is not a good idea. Constraining your feet with low plants is one thing, constraining your shoulders or head is another. Near my parents' place, some idiot planted a weeping birch right by the public sidewalk. Someone shorter than me prunes the canopy to a height that is comfortable for them :-) On a rainy night, this is... annoying! Karin L PS Bearing in mind that I am neither artist nor professional designer, here is one idea sketched onto your plan view. If you print out a few more copies of the blank that you posted, you can doodle your way to a design that suits you. This expands a bit on your sidewalk slab, and then plants adjacent to it, in a curve that mirrors the curved bed of shrubs you might put at the corner. You can place new trees into the shrubbery bed or in the central grass area however it best suits you. Whether you extend the beds along the straight parts or just have the curved parts depends on just how much planting area you want. On the outside of your semicircular shrub bed, something like carpet junipers might be the best thing - that way people won't walk over it but it will be both low and attractive.

Sorry, but I suspect the type of glass won't have much to do with how your dog(s) behave at the front door since they have a high sense of smell and hearing. And once the doorbell goes off it's like opening the gates for a race--sight has little to do with it. So that's for the canine issue... Yeah, I was going to say much the same thing. Our dog knows when our cars are approaching. When he hears my husband's truck, he runs to the door to "greet Daddy" -- but he is at the door before the truck pulls into the driveway ... sometimes Daddy fools me and walks around the house to enter through the back door, but he never fools the dog. I'm told he behaves the same way when I approach the house. Yet he doesn't lift a paw when other people drive down the street -- he knows the sound of OUR cars. But woe to the UPS man who dares to walk onto dog's porch to leave a package or the yard guys who enter dog's back yard; the dog does not approve of them, and he makes his displeasure known. The real upshot of this situation: I'm talking about a dog who has been blind since birth. He doesn't look out the windows at all, yet he knows and reacts to people arriving at the house. So my guess is that your dog is going to do what your dog is going to do. The type of glass you choose will not change his behavior.

I had clear class windows on top row of garage door. Hated it because who wants to see inside your garage or stuff stored inside so I found a film I liked (ordered many samples to get the right foster look, color and privacy) and had a window tint guy come out and put the window film on the inside of my garage windows. So much more affordable and it can always be changed down the road with minimal cost. I did the same thing with my clear glass shower. I hated that it was clear I didn’t want to pay to replace with a frosted glass that would have been way too expensive so i again ordered all sorts of samples and then hung them up with painters tape to decide what film tint color tone and what level of light transparency I wanted as well as how much each gave in the level of privacy I wanted and the window guy added it. https://www.decorativefilm.com Here is before and after of my shower glass and there is a picture where you can see a little bit of the garage windows that I had the film put on. It still allows light during the day.

Working with the two items you have, the mirror and table, I think the height is fine. What is making it look awkward is the fact that you have nothing on the table that can fill the gap between the tabletop and mirror. Try an orchid in a nice planter or basket, it will help to blend the two together, then add a couple of your favorite small tchotckes (don't over do it though, you could even lay two favorite hardback books with bindings facing out), it will be a beautiful greeting to all who see it! You're on the right track!f Life is better because of the beauty we find in it!