I hope you'll get some specific pro advice here, but if this were my home I'd want something more interesting than what I usually see done with this style. (Formal, boxwood, sculpted, etc.) Would you consider a fence across the front?

What about something like this? It has all the traditional elements listed above, but the way they are arranged makes it more pleasing to my eye: {{gwi:51628}}

I like this because it takes a symmetrical house and adds asymmetrical landscaping. So much more inviting and interesting to me.
{{gwi:51629}}

"I hate the "all the shrubs the same size and height and all squished together" look." That is called a hedge. Aside from the fact that you're not trimming it properly -- which is making it homely -- it seems fine for what it is and where it's located. It's would be a good fit if trimmed right. But your landscape is missing other important components. Seems like a flanking pair of small trees could say a lot. Also, the brick walk would be improved if widened 16" at each side.