Is your house the multi-color brick? Is the other structure your garage? Is that a sort of patio next to a driveway? I'm confused.

Start by making a simple map of your property. What are the walking patterns...how, for example, do you get to the grill with the food to be grilled? Where do you eat it? Will there be patio furniture there and a big umbrella? Does anybody play in the backyard? Can you see that backyard from, say, a bedroom or kitchen window? (Doesn't appear that way.) If that is a driveway, you certainly need to separate it visually from the patio....large patio planters might do the trick.

At the very least buy a few big pots on the cheap (Odd Lots type places are great for that kind of thing) and fill them with annuals that can tolerate the sun on the patio. (Even simple "wave" petunias) Water and feed them regularly while you sit on your patio and plan your future backyard space.

Have fun.

Big pots is exactly what I was thinking. Maybe even with big plants in them. Both by the house and by the garage.

Thanks barefoot, for your response. Yeah, it's the multi-colored brick -- sorry for any confusion. We do a lot of grilling and there's a patio set that sits on the pavers. Every year I go through this 'fretting' trying to make it look less of a hardscape. And I do put pots out, but I'll try Odd Lots to see if I can find bigger ones.
Do you think if I grew vines along the back of the house that might work??
Thanks again.

I love the pots from Odd lots!! Real glazed pottery and not the resin stuff.

Well you got your privacy plantings done and hardscape done, so all of the functional stuff is complete. Now it's time to add some decorative plantings to your "bones", which is what you were asking about. Your yard seems rather small for any grand trees, but shrubbery should do fine for you. It all depends on what season you spend outside the most. If the summer go with hydrangeas near the shaded side of the garage (where the grass is poor) and roses on the sunny side. Look at adding a focal point in the sideyard.

For the expanse of patio/driveway, google "trellis planter", and also consider one of those tent/gazebos. (I included a link that shows some) You can even use one of those new "patio" rugs (I've seen that at Ocean Job Lot for less than a hundred bucks).

Demarcating the space seems to be the first step. You can do this visually with non-permanent items (such as the pots, planters, gazebo, rug, furniture) and with plants. The second step seems to be to make the entertaining/living space more inviting visually and physically. Again you can do this with plants as well as accessories and furniture.

It's a tough little area, though.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gazebos

Thanks so much for your help, I truly appreciate it.
I think the gazebo is a great idea, I'll have to measure to see if it's feasible. I think my husband would probably have a fit, nothing can cut into the blessed grilling area, y'know, but it would cut down on the bright sun out there -- at least I think the bright sun will be out here soon!! And tomorrow I'm off to find BIG pots. I'll be like the character from the old Laugh-In show that was always peeking out from behind the large plants.
Thanks again for your great input!!

Plant some trees! The patio desperately needs a small tree, one that will provide some shade and some flowers. Possiblities include redbud, Seven son flower (Heptacodium miconioidies), Sweetbay magnolia (if the soil is acid enough). The last two have fragrant flowers--can't beat that near a patio. Don't leave the grill directly under the tree, however, and don't plant too close to the house.

Boy, do I wish I could plant some tree, but as you can see from the latest picture from the bedroom window angle, it's pretty stark around there.
On the happy side, I did go to Big Lots -- wow, do they have the stuff!! Didn't buy any pots but bought some soaker hoses.
Again, thanks for everyone's input into my little 'dilemma'.
Oh, and those stadium seats are from Soldier Field in Chg. before they renovated. Hmm, if I gingerly balance a couple of lighter pots on the seats....

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:21392}}

Just by making flower beds around the perimeter would greatly soften things up....like this....

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:21393}}

Wow, thanks so much, anitamo. That really is pretty.
I think if I put some type of ivy along the house -- I'll have to check what grows fast -- and then do the planters and the flower beds -- boy, I can almost envision plopping a lounge chair on the grass amid the flowers and sipping a lemonade -- thank you all so much for helping me see beyond all the starkness!!