Is this West Elm sofa the kind of thing you are looking for? Or even lower to the ground? http://www.westelm.com/products/4227534/?catalogId=52&bnrid=3918508&cm_ven=Google_PLA&cm_cat=furniture&cm_pla=Sofas_+_Sectionals&cm_ite=West_Elm_Baxter_Sectional_Sofa_Cotton-Rayon_Ikat_Print_Feather&adtype=placi_src=17588969&ci_sku=4227534&ci_kw=%7Bkeyword%7D

Have you tried Googling "topiary trimming guide" or another similar search phrase? You might run across what you are looking for that way.

Shutters sound like they would be a great addition to your new almost at the beach house. Is it an open concept? If so while you can change things up a bit you'll want to repeat some element and ensure that everything looks great together. Even the rooms you're thinking of putting drapes in might benefit from shutters or wood blinds for both looks and light/privacy control. Also be aware of how these windows will look from the outside. When choosing fabrics look at your existing furniture for inspiration or a piece of existing art or if buying new furniture think about the windows as you do. Everything in the room ties into each other. Ideally you would have swatches and samples of every finish in the room from flooring to window coverings and everything in between including wall colour, area rugs, bedding ect to help make your final decisions easier.

Can you show a picture of where you want to hang the sign? Are you talking about a house "name" or a family name?