Hi Digin, Without actually being in the space, this is what I would do. First, we need to change the hallway effect. It is uncomfortable to most people, makes them walk faster instead of leisurely enjoying the space. I would definitely bring the walkway up to the garage as well as the width of the porch. I probably would turn it towards the drive almost as is but would also have another section going a little down the drive. A walk for you and one for visitors. I would put a small, 4 seasons of interest tree to soften and connect human scale to the hard lines of the tall house. And I would under plant the tree with just one groundcover and carry that groundcover through out the entire area. I can't tell what it looks like under your large window but I do know if it needs hiding, putting 4 round or square shrubs that have to be trimmed is going to look like you are hiding something and does nothing to soften the hard lines of the structure. It is the same feeling that the shrubs along the garage gives. The purpose of foundation planting is to soften the hard lines of a building in an attempt to have it blend in with nature. Why some people plant things that are the same shape as the lines they are trying to soften has always baffled me. That type of designing, of course does have it place but it is dictated by the style of the house and for the most part doesnt work in most situations. I am not sure what exposure you have, nor what the rest of the space is like so again I am winging it. Will you be paving over the porch? If I could do what ever I wanted, I might try to make the step have a much wider tread and try to make it look like an half moon. I might also, not directly in the middle of the garage wall have an arched cutout small enough that it doesnÂt wreck the flow of 2 people walking side by side and possibly espalier or grow something on an interesting trellis with maybe an uplight shining on the wall. All these types of things should be consider in advance for placing PVC pipes under the walk for wires or drip irrigation. There are so many little things that can be done to make great changes. Simple things like, we painted some of our exposed foundation gray because it blended in with the siding better then concrete color. Another simple thing that lots of folks donÂt think about it putting shutters on their windows in the back of the house. It really dresses things up and doesnÂt break the bank. IMO, with your style home it is important to not use a bunch of different types plants, keep it simple and elegant. You want to create a comfortable, not busy approach to your house and that is how your guests will feel when you open the door. The backyard is the living area where you put al the fun, things that are you, like how you decorate the inside of the house. We inherited a builders concrete 2' wide walkway, also have brick and gray siding and pretty much removed all the round and square shrubs that lined poth sides of the walk. It was tough on our clothes when the shrubs were wet. One of my passions is gardening/design, so I plant for me and for what I see, consequently, starting a small bed at the street and adding alittle when ever I could on each side with the plan that the two sides would eventually meet. Good luck, more importantly have fun. My rule is that plants should bring me pleasure and if it is getting on my nerves it then becomes a weed and it is removed. Sorry this post is so long, as I said landscaping is one of my passions and if I can steal a moment to myself, I love to talk design. Ally

Thank you so much Drygulch. I fell in love with that couch because colored concrete is what I love to do. I don't have the skills to do that but it will certainly help me learn the basics.

I don't know about cost, but I LOVE sand finished concrete. You might check it out compared to stamped or acid wash. It's very non-slip.

What damages concrete in winter is melting chemicals, especially ordinary salt. What happens is this: During the day during maximum temperature, the chemical melts snow and ice and the brine penetrates porosities in the concrete, then later at evening and night if the temperature falls below the freezing point of the brine, it freezes and pops off chips of concrete. Talk to your concrete contractor about this. He can select a mix that is more resistant to freeze spalling, usually a greater amount of cement to sand and gravel (and greater cost). He may recommend a sealant. Do not start the project too late in the year. There is a wait time before applying sealant. Its best to have the recommended curing time before applying a sealer and before freezing weather sets in. Many times, the fine, smooth finish layer is more susceptible to damage than the underlying base concrete, It has been my experience that sealers do help but are not 100% effective. Expect damage after 3 winters of salting. One of the very best things you can do is to shield the stoop immediately in front of the door from snow and drippings from the main house. I recommend a portico (roof projection) over the entryway. Its roof should be shaped to direct house roof drippings away from the stoop and the walk. After a snow, clean the stoop before trampling the snow and welding it to the concrete. Before you begin your project, educate yourself about how to make concrete resistant to cyclic freezing-thawing. This is big problem in northern climes and reduces as one travels south.