Cut down to a few inches and mulch to encourage regrowth or replace with a new planting of something else.

Yes, boxwood will usually regenerate very well. Our box hedge came back beautifully after we had the contractors cut it very close to the ground so they could get their equipment in to R&R the driveway. Would certainly try that first if you'd be happy with them just looking better in that location. Such well established plants should regenerate at a good pace - or else you'll have confirmation they're ready to be retired.

Another vote for cutting it back even harder.

congrats on getting your lawn to match your brick color.. lol ...

they are bare on the house side because they get no sun because they are too close to the house ...

since you offered... just be done with them.. this is the front of a rather nice looking house .. do you really want a couple year renovation project out there ...

just do it ... and replant appropriately ... and by the end of the summer i would bet my shiny penny ... you will be eyeing the rest of them.. wondering why you didnt get rid of them all now..

with the brick color and the low form.. its amid century interpretation of frank lloyd wright prairie style ... gone all wrong with a completely uninspired boxwood hedge ... and i agree it looks like it was planted when the house was done ... ergo.. frank lloyd wronged ...

you can do so much better that all that ..

now go do the right thing...

ken

ps: i didnt know i had any architectural digest type knowledge.. lol ..

pps: second pic.. i would get that rain spout pointed in the right direction .. i would not want it washing across the front of the house ... especially if you put down some new mulch ....

I would replace them with dwarf yaupons ... pretty much the perfect small Texas shrub for low maintenance. They’d look more natural there, but still keep a good shape. You’d likely never even have to prune.

I have them at every house I live (I’m in D/FW, same soil and zone as you), they came through that winter storm we had just fine. I have never had any kind of issue with them at all — full sun or shade. And once established, I’ve never had to water them, even through severe droughts and 100+ temps for weeks on end. For what your needs are (plant something that doesn’t get overgrown and not have to worry about it), it really would be the best choice. By the time these boxwoods fill in, the yaupons would be well on their way of being established.

Personally I would take them all out and replace them with something that flowers or has pretty foliage. There are hundreds of flowering plants that would better show the architectural of your house. If you are in a more southern climate there are many azaleas, roses, etc that would add color. One possibility would be nandina. It is a low growing shrub, that when mature has bright red leaves. There are several varieties of roses that bloom all summer long,

If the lot were mine I would add a Rose of Sharon on the right and left corner of the house. I would add something like nandina under in front of the chimney and between the windows on the other side. I would flank the nandina with Knock Out® roses.

The Rose of Sharon would provide color in the summer and would frame your house. The nandina would provide color all year round, and the Knock Out® roses would provide color form spring to fall. You could also plant something like Daffodils, and other bulbs.

Once planted none of the suggestions require a lot of maintenance.

Since house does not have exposed foundation a foundation planting not even needed. And certainly not foundation plantings that consist of sheared hedges from behind which the partly hidden house peeks.

I respectfully disagree with planting KO roses — D/FW has been hard hit by RRD. So bad, in fact, that the historic rose gardens at The Fort Worth Botanical Gardens had to be destroyed and area businesses have been replacing theirs. My Knock-Outs got infected last year, I took them out.

Ha, I never thought about the irony of the name now. 😄