I wish I knew how to mock things up, but I think some blue fescue grass and feather grass would look great in those garden beds along with some lower-lying stuff to add color. You could even throw in a landscaping boulder for interest. I don’t know that the shrub is doing you any favors. I think the walkway can just be patched, but if you want to replace it entirely I would go with a smooth paver or blue stone.

Any other takers?

We need to know, for starters:

Where in the world you are (nearest large city)

Which way does the house face

How interested in gardening are you

Based on what has been said so far, I'd recommend an evergreen or three.

Finish preparing for new landscaping by removing the last shrubs by the window. Powerwash the concrete while you plan what to do. New concrete would be good or ask the pros if your concrete can be saved. SInce now is the time to plan your new landscape and hardscape, you may want to bring in a landscape designer.

Could the front door be stripped and restained? It's the perfect match for your house style.

I’m in zone 6a. About 90 minutes from NYC.

I’ve tried numerous times to add my hardiness zone to my screen name, but it never works. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I am a super novice at gardening.

My house faces East.

Here are some photos I’ve saved.

Not sure if any of this would work here.

Remove the shrubs by the window as well, since they already encroach on that space. Don't plant anything there that will grow higher than the bottom of the windows. Start with some base plants that are evergreen, and mix in perennials. I would see if you can add a concrete layer to your walkway, which would give you a new surface and raise it slightly higher so it works with your steps. Your door is a great style. I would paint it green so you have some contrast with all the wood on your home. Maybe a color like this.

Knowlton House · More Info

Two things to keep in mind when collecting inspiration pictures:

• Since you are south of me, you will have a mere 5 months of empty, dead winter landscaping. The last two pictures are almost entirely composed of disappearing plants. The evergreens next to the house in the 3rd picture will remain, and the grass in the last picture will have some presence, but everything else will be gone.
• Nature abhors a vacuum. In an area that averages about 1" of precipitation a week, 52 weeks a year, empty, mulched space is simply a place that will have to be kept weeded. While plants need space in which to grow when young, there should be relatively little space between them in a few years. Otherwise, the annual mulching and continual weeding can get tiresome.

So I'd start by planning a winter landscape. If you have deer (and you probably do) junipers and boxwood are reasonable choices. Once you have that set, you can add in flowering deciduous shrubs and perennials.

The zone information only shows up in replies in GardenWeb, not Houzz. When it shows up in Houzz, people have added it onto their screen name. What I see for you is paintedpeggies(6a).