I don't think all your objectives can be reached without creating negative visual impact. Some things -- like privacy through front windows -- you might have to deal with from inside, such as curtains or shades.

More or less...

Thank you. Is that ground ivy on the right hand side or other flowering plants? Does that go in front of the hedge without removing the hedge?

I'm not illustrating specific plants, but plant types, shapes, sizes, locations ... a general manner of organization. You can research what would work for a given area, achieves the requirements and performs well in your locale.

A little confused here. The existing trees in the picture certainly don't look like zone 10A plants. Where are you? General location.

What is the problem with painting? Landlord? Recently painted? Even if you don’t repaint the whole thing, picking out some of the architectural details in a slightly lighter shade might help to alleviate the heavy, dark feel. Making the door light enough to be visible and making sure you have good porch lighting would be helpful.

Does the walk running parallel to the left side of the house get used at all? If not, can you remove it?

I think Yardvaark’s planting suggestions are helpful, with looser plantings as opposed to the very squared off current plants. I would let the plant on the left corner grow taller and limb it up. I don’t think the shape of the bed matters as much as having looser growing plants instead of rigidly squared off plants. I do like Yardvaark’s long sweeping curve that extends the groundcover around to the feet of the hedge to unify the look.

Plants won’t make the house look taller or shorte IMO. You have a classic cottage look; embrace it.

If you try to provide privacy from outside for the left side of the house, you will give the feel of a house buried in foliage, so use shear curtains for daytime and something more solid for night rather than trying to plant for privacy.

I am going to guess coastal PNW for location based on architecture and plants.

ideas:

Thank you all,

@YardVark Thanks again for the drawing that looks very nice. Im sorry, i didn't mean to imply that i was asking for specific plants. I was more asking to understand your vision. To me it looks like the hedge is fighting for attention when you have that sweeping bed go in front of it. Thats the first time if seen that so maybe its just odd to me. (Any other pictures of something like this) This is our hedge but we originally wanted to keep it there to block the neighbors car. Maybee this thing needs to go also. If anyone has a better idea then the hedge to hide the neighbors car incorporated in Yard and DigDugs pictures Im all ears/eyes.

@lacyvail: Bay Area San Francisco. Redwoods, maples, these shrubs, etc are like weeds around here. (In a good way)

@NhBabs Thanks, we were going to paint small trim etc to lighting it up. Not just the entire place though. However, there has to be something said for the power of perspective. "When two people are the same size, a person wearing a horizontal-striped dress appears to be the thinner of the two. In order for the them to appear to be the same size, the person wearing the horizontal stripes would have to be six percent wider than the person dressed in vertically-striped clothing" Even though we are happy with embracing the cottage feel, the perspective of the tall bush in the front magnifies the shortness in a negative way or maybee just hides to much of the house. I was curious if there is a landscape rule that matches the fashion world.

@DigDug Thank you, That is great also. Would you remove the shrubs in the back and on the right side. Like in YardVarks I'm not sure why i have a problem with putting stuff in front of that hedge that separates the two properties. Maybe I need to remove that thing and figure out some other type of privacy barrier.

Im very grateful for all input!

The hedge is doing its job. I don't see any reason to replace it. Both the above illustrations have incorporated it into the front design. Look for similar layouts as you drive around your area, maybe it will grow on you.

I also see no issue with planting in front of the side hedge....that is a very common landcaping situation :-) And to lighten up the area.look for shade tolerant plants that have a gold, chartreuse or yellow foliage coloring or variegation. Or even a creamy white.

"... it looks like the hedge is fighting for attention when you have that sweeping bed go in front of it." I am at a loss as to what you mean. Maybe you could describe it in another way.

To tune up the drawing a bit more, I wish the hedge extended farther back so as to close the gap where the chain link fence is visible. I also wish it didn't come all the way to the front walk. If it were set back at least two or three feet from the walk it would seem a little friendlier to the neighborhood.

You probably would want to learn to trim the hedge properly. The cross-section profile that it has now is what causes shrubs to lose foliage at the bottom, turning them into tiny tree forms. The hedge should have a wider base and a narrower upper portion so sunlight will reach even the lowest leaves. The front end would slope back in the same manner.

Adding plantings in front of the side hedge just adds depth & dimension to the landscape....you don't have to plant there.

Wow, closing the gap did it. My eyes kept moving back and forth. Great ideas from all. Thanks.

This gives me some validation and ideas. If anyone pops in this thread and adds thank you as well.

I wouldn't have identical plantings on each side of the walk, where it meets the house - no other such formality is present anywhere else in the suggested layouts. Including the house facade.

Except for the clipped hedge. Which I would let assume a taller, more natural structure, so that the neighbor's house isn't part of the picture when looking at (and using) your place.