Nitza, what a cute place! Maple is lovely and looks healthy. Those recommendations sound a bit too large. Take it from a girl who now has 6’ tall “foundation” plants I regret. Where is your front door in relation to this pic? What is the sun exposure? Is the area always in shade of house?

Your front entry is on the left side hidden behind the Maple?

Really like the Maple and would not want to do anything that might damage it; in fact, I'd probably want to plant another on the other side ( farther from the house and placed to hide the heat/ac unit on the back (right) side of the house.

Consider trimming a few lower limbs of the Maple at the appropriate time of the year in order to better reveal your front walkway.

Would want create a paving stone path (with grass between the pavers set with their tops ground level) placed least six feet away from the house's foundation. You'd be creating a "planting area" between the house and the walk/path. If Hosta will grow in your planting zone, you might consider planting them a few feet from the house's foundation in that 6' or so area between walk path and house.

Will Aucuba bushes grow in your planting zone? If so, you might consider encircling the yard with them on three sides to define your private yard and guide visitor traffic to a path to the front door outside and along side the "privacy hedge". My Aucuba are over a decade old and only waist high -- so not so high to make you feel closed in. They keep their leaves and look good year round.

if you don't want to enclose this yard if you only want to plant a couple attractive bushes near the front corners of your yard, you might also consider Abelia bushes -- choose the variety that keeps most of their leaves even in winter. Their blooms are small but quite beautiful and butterflies love them.

The door is actually on the right side of the house when facing it (on opposite side of the maple). The area does get full sun in the morning.

Nitza, might you be able to sketch out the dimensions of your lot and home roughly to give us an idea of the areas your working with? Length and width of home. Distance to fence on right. Feet to street from front facade. And rough location of drive. I agree that enclosing the front yard might present some good opportunities for an outdoor “room”.

The Maple was planted too close to the house. For correct spacing a tree would need to further from the house, close to the drive. I would skip another tree, for that area.

Rather than second guess, just tell us why you would be worried about having a tree off of the right house corner. We can't read your mind.

Show a view of the house that one would see as they are approaching from the driveway ... a view that includes the entrance.

I am worried about planting an eastern red bud (or any tree for that matter) as it would be possibly blocking the front door. Eastern Red Buds (from what I can see online) grow up to 30 ft and have a wide span. Do I have to put something on the right corner of the garden (near door) to “balance” the maple? Also, based on research I am thinking planting 4 either Winter or Baby Gem Boxwoods to hide the foundation and 3 little princess spireas in front of them but wondering if that will be enough for color pop/dimension.

In the last two photos the maple appears to have been getting tidied into a ball like shape, this is undesirable as it eliminate the gracefulness that is one of the main attractions of natural habit Japanese maples.

If you are thinking you have to match the maple in size in order to achieve balance you are not going to be able to do this now unless you plant something that is faster growing than the maple. So that it is able to overtake it and match it. Such a plant will of course then continue on to grow bigger than you have indicated you want in that spot. So instead plant a couple of different kinds of shrubs that in combination duplicate the total mass of the maple but do not match it in their individual sizes.

I like your plan of an evergreen hedge in back with the Spirea in front. I would do something like this.

Be careful to not plant too close to the house. You will need to get back there at times.

I do not mind the current shape of the Maple but I think it would be beautiful as a multitrunk tree.

The best way to know how tall the Eastern Redbud will grow in your area is to find someone who grows one. Ask in the Tree Forum. There are cultivars of the tree and some do not get as tall but I don't see height being a problem as the wires are on the left side of your roof.

I think you need to create more emphasis on your front door. I would paint it a bright yellow or red and use that color in your plantings. Add an entry walk in brick, pavers, or stone that is as wide as possible and leads the eye to the door. Increase the size of the entry light significantly with an attractive fixture. Change shutter color so door is the largest mass. Create more interest at the door...maybe a vertical tall evergreen shrub by the corner at the stairs with a bright pot of flowers. Or pergola or column?Foundation shrubs higher than your foundation to improve the proportion. Box woods are beautiful. Trim the maple to see the beautiful trunks. I think you may be able to create visual balance on the right without a tree there using shrubs and flowers and the hardscrape. But the door disappearing is the most important fix. Needs to become a strong focal point and all your plantings should lead the eye there.

Better Homes & Gardens posted a great article recently about creating curb appeal with lots of lessons and tips: https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/exteriors/curb-appeal/entryway-designs/?did=527164-20200522&cmp=bhgdailyinspiration_052220&utm_campaign=bhg-daily-inspiration_newsletter&utm_source=bhg.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=052220&cid=527164&mid=34194487365