did you forget the pic?

It didn't upload properly. Have just added it! :)

Crepe Myrtle trained as a tree would look great, I agree. Rose of Sharon, Weeping Cherry, or Redbud would be other good choices. (I don't know what your soil is.)

I would consider removing the frame and stones. Plant your tree a bit more to the right-- centered between windows on right half of house. Plant selection is deeply personal.

A Japanese maple can be stunning, as can a smaller Southern Magnolia, such as Teddy Bear.

boy that square box of rocks bothers me ... any chance we can talk you out of it ...

lol ... see what i did there.. think outside the box .. lol .. unintentionally ...

rose of sharon can be a reseeding nightmare in some areas .... i would avoid ...

ken

Varieties of RoS that don't reseed (I should have mentioned them in my other post):

http://blog.pennlive.com/gardening/2013/10/any_rose-of-sharon_shrub_varie.html

The square box is a nightmare. My mother wants to keep it there, unfortunately. I just received some sod and would prefer to gut out the stones ( which have accumulated over the years), get rid of the frame and lay down sod. But, I will grant her her wish and let it remain. The only thing I can think of doing is adding an ornamental tree of some sort to improve the aesthetics of the yard.

Thank you all for yousuggestions!

Excellent bark/flowers/fall color:

Pseudocydonia sinensis

Stewartia species (several species for your location.)

Dax

Alleghany Serviceberry. Winter King Hawthorne. Redbud. American Holly.

Also, there's the dogwood 'Venus' -- huge flowers. And I really like the early summer blooming Kousa dogwoods.

Sorbus.

Love them so much I named my eldest Rowan.

Franklinia.....extinct in the wild....cant get more unique than that