I like @kelly's idea of picking a lovely fresh color of paint for the door. You can then bring it down onto the stair risers. Either a solid color to match the front door, or go wild and add some decorative elements to the risers with stencils. Or think of staining the door a great color and coordinate the stair railings and risers. I have an idea book put together for just such project that might spark some ideas for you. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/16700983/thumbs/Kathryn-Delany-s-Decorative-Stair-Risers

make a path to back yard using maybe crushed gravel. Then place a unique used window or door where you want it to connect to a fence or don't build a fence at all & mount the window or door as stand-alone divider from front & back yard.

Thanks for the extra pics. Still thinking along the same line. Trim the bushes by the sidewalk to make the sidewalk more visible and accessible. If you can, replace the package with new door with clear glass or no glass and new sidelights or none. Put in a courtyard that comes out to the white wall with whatever works for you. Pavers, pavers and gravel, low decking, concrete, tile, brick. Anything. Add bench , chairs , mini trees in pots flowers. Make it welcoming. Could even add a trellis over the area. Deck could be made smaller and planting beds put in under Windows for small shrubs or flowers. Grass in the area between the ac unit and the driveway. Add a walk way from drive to the deck in material that works withe the rest. I would add pictures but don't know how.

Does anybody know where to source black matt door handles from? I can only find a couple of online NZ stores that do. HELP!!