Update... I borrowed heavily from yard's design with a few tweaks. The steps up to the house are flanked by Abelia 'Little Richard', and the lower have Walker's Low Catmint. You can't really see the larger trees that match the twins in yard's design but I used Chaste Tree (Shoal Creek) and will prune that to a multi-stemmed tree. The planting is rounded out with other lower growing perennials and sedge. Can't wait to see what this looks like in a year when things have matured a bit. Thanks so much for the inspiration.

If your budget is limited to maybe paint and column wraps I would do the columns, but probably not with a Craftsman style which doesn't really work with the house. A beefier square column, painted the trim color would work. I would look at painting the shutters a color other than brown. Right now the entire house is monotone. A bright color on the front door to make it a focal point (I like the teal chair color for the front door).

The garage side faces the street. How to draw attention away from the garage doors. It wil have black asphalt drive but don't want stone on foundation/retaining wall. The view is the star. House needs to be quiet and cool. Hardie Statement Board/Batten: Iron Gray, Rich Espresso or Night Gray? Painted brick stamp concrete or gray concrete plain on the foundation? (photo of house being razed) Thank you

I am curious if you are expanding the front narrow beds to include shrubs. Where I grow peonies, daylilies, and iris, I also grow strawflower, dianthus, abelia, and lambs ear. What about a Soft Touch holly, or a native holly? There are some very low growing crepe myrtles now, but that's my zone 7 talking. If you're open to daisy/echinacea/rudbeckia type coneflowers, a little planning can make sure someone is always in flower. PowWow White is off patent now so you can propagate your own. You can totally plant the whole thing in white veronica and salvia, that sounds adorable. I'd add liatris alba and an artemisia too.