Analysis first, then plan, as Tookoo recommends. Use native plants, as neotoma recommends. Get specific plant recommendations locally, as Terri & sgelade recommend. Here is my two cents worth, for the shortterm. a. Remove and stockpile the lawn edging and most of the mulch back against the fences. b. Take a can of spray paint, or a bundle of surveyor's flag, and mark the largest circular or curved form that will fit within the fenced areas, no matter where the trees stand (inside or outside of the line) to form the temporary edge of your lawn area. See if the entire family agrees on the alignment or just do what looks best to you as the Senior Gardener. c. Add the wood edging to the new edge, or, it will look a lot better if the edge is not visible, using a steel edge whose top edge is down just above the grass roots and no longer visible, and not an impediment to the lawn mower. (when you form the plant beds, you will dig down a couple inches at the edge, where it meets the steel, and then slope the bed up from there, and the mulch will be contained at the level of the lawn, beyond) My recommendation, after you call in your landscape advisor, is to fill the beds totally with ground cover, beneath the shrubs, so no mulch will be seen after the two years of plant growth, using only a finer textured mulch which will become part of the soil bed. (Maybe the bark mulch will smell good in your new fire pit, along with the wood edging.) d. Plant the entire area with grass seed or sod and enjoy the beauty. The curved edge will make the space appear and feel larger and will decrease the maintenance of the smaller bed areas. On the subject of tree placement: analyse first, then plan. Look at all the views beyond your fenceline from all windows of the house, the living/ dining areas, all the bedrooms, to enhance the good views and to block the big, the bad, and the ugly. The large trees on your list will block views from the upper windows, The small horizontally branched trees will be a piece of sculpture in your downstairs view throughout the year, while their flowering and fragrance yet another reason to be alive. For instance, if you have an attractive small tree that has attractive flowers and foliage, PLUS has attractive bark color and has a sculptural quality in the off-season, you won't have to visit the museum quite as often, with a sculpture garden right out your window.

I agree, if you want a lovely deep green I love Viburnum Dense Fence, if your nursery doesn't carry it they can order it in from ozbreed. It ticks all your boxes, is hardy, good in most soil types and conditions (we're in Melbourne), grows to a good height, grows quickly. https://www.ozbreed.com.au/hardy-exotic-range/dense-fence-viburnum-is-a-dense-screening-hedge-with-subtle-red-new-growth-foliage-hardy-exotic-range/  Ours has tripled in size and is very thick over almost 18 months, it's been really easy and I love the vibrant foliage colour. This variety isn't as glossy as some sweet Viburnum and the leaves are slightly smaller. I think the magnolia will be too sparse if you need it for privacy, I'm not familiar with your 2nd suggestion, and the lily pillies I see everywhere now and yes can have problems!

The builders are mainly divided into two main categories. They are either the project builders or the custom builders. Both groups have their own pros and cons. Depending on your situation, you might opt for the project builder or vice versa. Therefore, by having a good understanding of their pros and cons, it will enable you to make a better decision and choose a builder that is suitable for your current needs and circumstances. Please note that these are the pros and cons of what I had observed of the typical project and custom homes builders. SO BIG DISCLAIMER! These are NOT a representation of ALL builders who classified themselves in either of the two groups. Make sure to double check and clarify with more research and due diligence. Let me know your thoughts by commenting and sharing it below. =) Watch the full video discussion here: ---> Project VS Custom Builders

@sirisukey. Yes my desk is under window as it is only a small room. It was running along wall under window but moved desk to right angles, facing north, so I could see door and out other window which did increase the problem with sun. I haven’t got around to buying a blind yet as it is a non Standard window size and I wasn’t sure if they were needed. Have windows on three sides and only need blind on the eastern window. Just moving some of my paintings to block the sun at present, It’s the old laundry we changed to study last year.