Thanks for these ideas. Like that last pic. Property is located in Morgan Hill, CA, and it's a country ranch home. Surrounded by farming and off a gravel road.

My suggestion would be to put your bulk of landscaping (full) under garage windows and have expansive flagstone walkway from front door to new landscaped area and onto old driveway. It hides the underside of new windows and takes sight lines away from garage and onto landscape and walkway.

I think you want a continuous bed from the door to the end of the house. It should look as if there had never been a garage. I suggest reworking the door path further from the house. I scribbled out your tree because I think it needs removed. The shrub next to the door has reached it's maximum size. It needs to be pruned a bit, Do not shear it. A natural shape looks better. People could recommend plants if we knew your USDA zone.

Nice big rancher! I'd love to see a decent size rounded or oval elevated flower-garden to add a bit more interest to the expanse of lawn. Fill it with a dry-creek bed and some succulents and grasses that don't need much water or care. This site has some great ideas and plants for that scenario. A bit of colour in the form of sun-loving annuals would be nice--a pop of red geraniums is one choice. Plant about 6 or 7 really close together in a group versus individually. They won't look like polka-dots that way.

Add a few landscape lights to create further interest along the front and maybe one in your flower/rock bed.

You could run the 12 Volt kind on a line or get solar ones.

Have fun!