From your idea book for the front yard, it's clear you prefer a clean, modern, angular design. I suggest changing out the garage door for one with a grid of frosted glass panels. (Search images for "modern garage doors" and you'll see what I mean.) Consider stucco instead of siding. Maybe you can find more modern windows as well. Use the horizontal fence idea to screen the trash cans. Remove the existing driveway and pour fresh concrete scored into a very large grid pattern. Or, use large rectangles of concrete and lay river stones in between. (Again, search for images of "modern concrete driveway" and you will find lots of inspiration, including many with the curve you need.) I agree a modest pergola at the entry will signal where the door is. If you have room for a small trickling pot fountain under the pergola, so much the better. Remove the grass from the parking strip. Figure out where car doors will open if parked on the street -- set large rectangular floating pavers at that point, and plant the other areas with succulents. Top dress around the plants with either thick mulch or a layer of river rock (smooth, flat, rounded stones). Minimize your lawn area. I'd use the corner swath between the sidewalk and the drive for a very large succulent (examples: Agave attenuata, Euphorbia tirucalli "sticks on fire", Aloe petricola) and lower growers around it (Senecio mandraliscae, Graptoveria, etc.) along with some that produce flowers on tall stems (example: Clandrina spectabilis, Kalanchoe thyrsiflora, Anigozanthus falvidum), and maybe some tufted grasses (Muhlenbergia capillaris, Sporobolus aroides, one of the many Carex). If possible, repeat some of the same plants along the house below the windows (I can't tell in the shadows if there is soil for planting or not). Good luck! You can turn this plain Jane into a stunner -- all you need is money, a vision, and more money. Did I mention money? ;-) I hope you will follow up with progress photos.

While they are different pictures, they are not better pictures. You've also got to take them when an important part of the house is not in deep shade. (The entrance and foundation area look like a black shadow.) And the camera is too far away. It should be on the city sidewalk. It should be at the left side of the drive. It must stay at the same position for all three pictures (merely pivoting.) First and last picture should capture the front left and right corners of the yard.

The only construction change I would make is to box in the stone posts. To my eye they look very odd - just random shapes of stone glued onto the posts. Larger light between the garage doors. Good ideas above. I would just paint the garage doors and trim, not add fancy windows to them. You want to draw attention to the right side of the house, not draw attention to the garage doors.

Hi- I think it would be very nice if you could have a covered porch on one side of your house, or even running the length of the entire front of your house. Who cares if it is not "the period" of your house? I don't think your house is some period masterpiece whose value will be lowered by the addition of the porch. Only you can decide if you have the money to pay for that sort of project, and if the months out of the year that you can sit outside with a cuppa and a book nad/or with a neighbor make it worth it to you to spend the money. Note, I don't even mention re-sale value. Because what is important is the pleasure it will give you, that is number one. (I am assuming that building a porch won't detract from the house's value.) Please be sure to use an experienced contractor, get three bids, etc. You can have one side with a porch swing if you like that, or a couple of rocking chairs and foot stools, and the other side with a table and chairs and a bar cart/tea cart. From the top you can hang several bushy hanging plants. If you do this sort of porch, you don't need a portico as the door will be covered by the porch.