Hi, Jess,
I personally like Bonanza Gold Barberry. I have three of them growing in a garden next to my driveway, and they're the perfect low-growing height for the front of any shrub or mixed border. They're also slow growing and a great contrast to all the green foliage surrounding them.

I'm sure others will jump in with many more suggestions, but here's the link to Bonanza Gold Barberry

Julie

How far is your Pink Spires from the house? It looks like it will be touching the house in 5 years.

You can spend years and a lot of money and hard work trying to get the landscaping right. There is more to it than just selecting the right materials. If you want to do it yourself, then check out a few books from the library on landscaping.

Another option is some nurseries offer a landscaping service designed for the DIY homeowner. The homeowner provides photos and measurements of the area, etc. The nursery's designer will sketch up a plan and make plant suggestions. The cost for just the front of the house will be about $300-500, but they typically give that back to you in credit to purchase the plant materials from them. I think it's a good deal and can save the homeowner money and a lot of back-breaking work in the long run.

Thank you both!

I do like the look of the golden barberry but was kind of hoping to stay away from barberry in general because of it being so prickly. I guess it would look nice in that spot, though. I'd have to decide between the red and gold in that case.

The pink spires is kind of columnar and grows more upward than out - the reason I chose that variety - so hopefully I didn't plant it too close to the house. I'll have to measure the distance from the tree to the siding but it's a little farther than it appears in this pic. I think I have another, better, photo at home. (I'm at work. Shhhh!)

I'm getting kind of overwhelmed with all I want to do both inside the house and out so I'm trying to narrow it down to the simplest and more affordable projects for now. I plan to plant an autumn blaze maple on the opposite side of the driveway in the front yard over the weekend and possibly another shade tree in the back yard.

The longer-term goal is to do a bed of perennials along the entire side of the south facing garage/house but that will need to be put off until spring or next fall. If I can just get the front of the house in this spot looking nice for now I'll be happy. :)

There are many multi colored hosta that would provide contrast in color and leaf form for that East side bed. The large leaved types would look best and show off more.
Hosta 'Frances Williams' is a reliable big blue-green with golden variaged edges. Easy to find during the Spring.

Since most plants do come in green, its easy to get sick of looking at a wall of it.

Another easy care choice might be Artemisia 'Silver Brocade' which is a dusty silver-leaved plant that grows to 1 foot tall. Hardy to z3.

Using either of these plants, rather than a shrub, would save the trouble of pulling the edging and rocks to expand out. More time for the inside!
Pondy

I fell in love with barberries this year. I have the pigmy variegated and its doubled its size already. The crimson variety are also doing well. Their coloring would look very nice against your house.

couple pots of annuals

some garden statues/figurines, mini garden flag, couple bigger rocks/boulders.

mini roses although they have thorns as well :)

Not being a barberry fan, I agree with Pondys sage advise & suggest perennials of some sort. The space may just be too small for a shrub & there's no point in planting a shrub you'll have to butcher in a few years just to make it stay in bounds. I do think someone should plant the lo gro sumac & let me know how that works out but I don't think thats an option here.

"The pink spires is kind of columnar and grows more upward than out - the reason I chose that variety - so hopefully I didn't plant it too close to the house."

You have to take into consideration the root system against your house too.

Since you say you do not wish for a lot of green in front of the shrubs maybe go with Heuchura? Lots of choices in Crimson, Chocolate and Golds. They do well in low Easterly sun.

I kind of like the hedge look you have going with these, but I agree you need more of a contrast against all the greens. Perhaps variegated hostas in front of these?

Shrub-wise:
Carol Mackie Daphne - nice contrast to the darker greens, has spring flowering. Lighter green leaves edged in a cream color. Pics don't do it justice. Semi-evergreen (spray with 'wilt-stop' in November to keep moisture in leaves).

Pigmy barberries are nice and compact with great color, but I agree about the thorns. Been there, done that, tempted again once I saw my friend's pigmy variety (I had the 'rosy Glow' that I wouldn't do again). So pretty.

Smaller variety rhododendron (or azalea depending on light), though only spring blooms, right?

Virginia Sweetspire 'Henry's Garnet' will be a nice fall contrast against the greens. V.S. foliage turns reddish in the fall, with white spires in the spring.

Weigela, Wine & Roses - nice foliage contrast and pretty flowers in summer/spring, though mine took a couple of years to bloom, then wow! Deadhead for repeat blooms.

Purpleleaf Sand Cherry (the shrub not the tree variety, though you can trim the shrub variety into a tree form if you prefer). Trim annually to keep from getting spindly.

Euonymous Gold Splash (or a variety of euonymous hardy to your zone) for contrast.

Other ideas:

Amsonia Hubrechti (herbaceous perennial turns yellow in fall), planted with Bergenia ('Bressingham Ruby' - foliage turns reddish in fall and has red flowers in spring, though foliage is green otherwise). I have Euphorbia (cushion spurge) 'Polychroma' planted alongside these for a nice yellow contrast. 'Polychroma' turns red in fall. Nice fall color combination.

Astilbe does well in shade, I have Red Fanal Astilbe, Heucheras (plum pudding and citronelle heucherella??), Hostas, Brunnera Jack Frost, Japanese Painted fern near my spireas (neon flash). Jack Frost is directly in front of my spirea.

Annabelle Hydrangea? Don't fertilize once established as the plant can't hold blooms otherwise.

Brunnera Jack Frost, perennial, a SPECTACULAR contrast to evergreens and thrives in full shade. A nice "pop" in the shade.

I have variegated hostas in front of my house with my evergreen yews, and in another area I have lamium 'white nancy' (full shade) with boxwood. I also have other lamium in half sun, 'silver beacon', ok as long as it gets ample moisture.

Pulmonaria (lungwort) is also nice for shade/part shade ('Benediction' is supposed to be nice). Variegated foliage.

Ajuga 'chocolate chip' is a nice compact groundcover with blue flowers in summer (I deadhead for reblooms through summer).

Artemisia 'Silver Brocade' is nice for contrast as someone mentioned earlier, though pretty informal for a front planting bed (as are some others I've mentioned).