KarinL, you've given me tons to think about. Here are some thoughts in response to parts of it: Your questions about how I want to move through and be in the space are well taken. I'd add another consideration, though, which is how the house speaks to the street. I'd like it to say: "this bit is my yard, but please do come in! Because of the walk, the porch steps, and the deep front porch, the way in for visitors - and the way I'll walk in and where I'll put down groceries - are very well defined. Here are a couple of pics that show more of the front yard: Because of the way the holly tree (which I love) sits on the west side of the front yard, there's a real imbalance between very strong and rectilinear visuals on the west side and open and scraggly boundaries on the east, the more so with with fence coming down on the east side. I'm cool with the openness on the east and the more closed, divided feeling on the west, because I love my east-side neighbors and not so much the west-side one! That said, I do feel like there's a need for some visual interest and definition at the property line on the east side - something just a little sheltering to reach out from the side of the house towards the sidewalk and embrace visitors without overwhelming them. Which leads to your next point about... Planting along boundaries: The caveat against the beginner's mistake makes sense to me, because of course in interiors the comparable mistake is to line up everything absolutely straight against the walls. In this case, though, having lived in the house only a short time, I can clearly see the need for some definition along the property line but don't yet fully know how I'll want to move in the space. Since whatever goes along the side and back of the yard will be visible over whatever eventually goes in the middle, is there any harm in planting shrubs near the outside edges of the space and making decisions about the middle in a future season? On the hedgy stuff in front of the porch, I do have some useful info, and I think you're right that most of it has to go. There are several different things going on there. The low thing out in front that's trimmed like a hedge is a group of azaleas! Now, I like azaleas, but these flower in the worst possible shade of magenta for all the other color that's going on here. The largest thing is a red-tip photinia and most unfortunately it's falling victim to that leaf spot disease. Poking up between the azaleas and the photinia are a couple of very happy rhododendrons, which could stay and become part of a new grouping. I'd love to look out over something pretty when I sit on the front porch, but I don't need something that screens the porch as much as the current ailing photinia does.

Here's a few more ideas and thoughts. Since you have a deck on the other side of the house (in 3rd photo) and generous land around you, I'm guessing this is not your main entertainment area. I agree with Yardvaark about the plantings. IN the quick sketch attached, I just cut away some of the excessive concrete and extended the bed, but (hopefully) left room to back the car into (or for the table in chairs if they need to remain). Also added a columnar evergreen on the corner to soften it. For the deck, I change the railings to metals railings for a lighter look for the deck, added screening below the deck, and added a color to the front door. The planters are larger and more of them to fill the corner. For the bare wall, there is a lot of art that is made for the outdoors these days. Pick something you love to use as a focal point. You can also add vertical house numbers, like comelyhomely suggested next to the door. Good luck with your project!

If you’d like a seating area: I would dig up all grass and put down some sort of inexpensive material ... look around on buy/sell/trade sites in your area. I find free stones/pavers/etc in my area often. Paint your other chair and small table red, like the Adirondack chair (or paint them all three in a different color). Set them up, put a potted flowering plant on the table. You could plant a few things in the front part, as some of these show — If you don’t want a seating area, I’d dig up the grass and plant some things. For instance — small shrubs in front of the windows, perennials in front of those, or succulents or tropicals. Whatever does well in your area. You could add a bird bath or something else decorative in it among the plants. I’d want low-growing, very natural looking, nothing uniform. This is not meant to show any specific plant selection, but just a visual of having it fully planted — . ETA: Sorry, just noticed something in the middle there, is it an asphalt strip? Can it be removed? If not, won’t be hard to work around.

You have too many different surface colours and textures in your house, and their proportion to each other is not pleasing to the eye. In other words, it looks patchy. To make things worse, the brightest colour (brick) and lightest colour (white) draw the eye to the lower level, away from the front door. Homes look welcoming and somehow "right" when the eye is drawn to the front door area. Stain the brick. Romabio is the product that you want. It's a stain not a paint and has a good warranty. This will definitely not devalue your home as someone suggested above. While you're at it, stain the contrasting stones around your front door, and the too-light pavers. To draw the eye up, I also moved your hanging basket up to your front porch area. Keep the lower landscaping very simple. Tall grasses in front of the porch area will give you the streamlined look that will suit your MCM style.