I just cleared a corner of my property by limbing the existing evergreen fir? tree. I now have a 20'x30' shaded area to plant and more importantly, a "new" neighbor to screen (the tree branches hid us from one another before). Click here for a picture (pls excuse the post bbq buckets and coolers!)

The area is on the East side of my house (I am standing on my patio taking the pic). The light in the front is the most direct/indirect light the area gets except the far back right (by the pink signs) corner gets a bit from the West side in the evening as it sneaks past the neighbors house. She has some bamboo planted in that corner on her side of the fence.

Are there any folks with ideas on creating a privacy screen? The fence is only 5' and my husband isn't fond of lattice. I'd love evergreens but am not adverse to deciduous. Most of the nursery folks have said Vine Maples and a good friend has suggested Pieris Japonica. I am willing to pay for more mature trees so that I can get an instant screen. I even have it in my head that I can somehow put some cedar planters on stilts with some sort of shrub in them - but have no idea if that is crazy.

Any opinions out there?
Thanks in advance,
Toni - Kirkland, Washington