Your front door currently disappears. It should be the dominant feature of your facade. Would you consider building an arbor in front of it, extending over the sidewalk, to emphasize the front entrance?

Your garage door is the most noticeable element of the front. Consider painting it either the same as the trim, or the same color, but slightly darker.

Doesn't thyme die back in the winter? Do you get much winter where you are? Periwinkle/vinca is my current go-go groundcover - it grows thickly and quickly and chokes out most weeds, and is evergreen. In fact, as soon as the snow melts it starts blooming.

Hello Chibimmi - thank you so much for your response! I agree I need to draw attention to the front door. It's currently so 'tunnel like' with the long skylit entrance I worry that an arbor out front might cause the door to seem even further buried in a black hole. Maybe I just can't visualize it...

My elfin thyme in the back yard does super year round. I'm in northern Cali near Sacramento so our weather is pretty moderate. It's been in the ground 3 years now and while a couple spots still need to fill in, it hasn't been harmed by frost yet.

By the way - I'm planning to replace the front door with this style:
http://millworkforless.com/robson_hall-wood-doors.htm but instead of the beautiful dark stain I'm planning to paint the door along with my house in the color scheme shown in the attached photo. My current roofline doesn't permit the top transom window but I thought the side windows might bring some light into the entry space inside my home.

Window boxes under each window with colorful plants. And, a large potted tall plant or evergreen by the garage side of the sidewalk leading to front door. ( colorful pot or colorful plant).
Lighten up the front door. Not sure what is on left of front door? Glass? Maybe change to a small window and enclose the rest?