Just trim your bushes annually and you can avoid the overgrowth :)

Could you let us know what zone you are in. Since this discussion is throughout the US it would be helpful to know so we can suggest the appropriate plants,

Hemerocallis, Miscanthus sinensis, Rosmarinus officinalis 'Arp' all grow in your area. I would try a mixture of grasses (for motion in the wind) and low growing colorful shrubs.

If you hate the big purple bushes, take them out.

Lovely home. I would begn by taking out the overgrown purple shrubs and moving the boxwoods from the front of the border to the back on the left as a foundation hedge. Repeat on the right side and add colorful flowers in front of the shrubs -ornamental grasses, perennials and annuals. A nice flagstone walkway from the entrance to the curb would look inviting. If budget allows I would construct a stone fence around the front near the curb. If you want more shrubs and flowers and less lawn you could plant something like below. I think your home would look more craftsman like if you were to paint the garage doors and gables a deeper earth color such as sage. Since the driveway is so prominent I would tone it down by scoring the concrete into sections and staining them . An example is below. http://pinterest.com/pin/314829830170979598/

Thanks for the pinterest link Caroline! Going to stain my plain concrete stepping stones sometime! Hadn't thought of that! :)

Location is key to type of plants trees evergreens and box woods are hearty and always green grasses are a soft edge to the trees hydrangeas hastas day lilies for edgings as far as flowering trees cherry white or pink .Chinese rose in yellow .lavender not close to house bees like them.a nice magnolia tree in the front or dog woods, white birch in 3s ,and weeping trees in 3s a few large rocks,a decorative fence with gate and arbor climatic e and or grapes or weeping Wisteria, endless mound up the land on corner or a kidney shape in middle with trees and flowers spaced with your rocks ,.