The smaller growing japanese hollies are always a good choice for such plantings. 'Soft Touch' is one that I like quite a bit, and not as common as some of the others.

I'm in the process of completely renovating my foundation plantings a bit south of you here in the Midlands. I'm going to be using a combination of Chinese Fringe (both the "Blush" variety and one of the smaller, burgundy ones), Limemound spirea, small, dark red barberry, sweet olive, and some perennial grasses (haven't completely decided which but I'm very eager to see how this will work). I also want to use some variegated liriope - but NOT in a solid, military row as you often find them. Instead I plan to use them in clumps that I hope will relate to the shape of the ornamental grasses. There will be spaces transitioning into small beds on either side of the porch for seasonal color (perennials and annuals). At the front corners of the house I plan to place trees with some seasonal interest - a Japanese maple on one end and a redbud on the other. I'm also enlarging the foundation beds and changing their edges to long, asymmetrical curves rather than straight lines as they have been.

The old plantings that I've just removed were overgrown boxwoods planted in a boring row all the way across the front of my long one-story house (also a bit boring). I'm hoping that the variety in shape, color and texture I'll be bringing in will make the house look a little less like a railroad car as well as coordinate better with the other planted areas in the yard which are very informal and mixed.

Thanks to both of you for the advice. I have tried helleri hollies in the past. They do OK, I guess, but I am not wild about them really. I have never heard of 'soft touch' hollies, but that sounds interesting. Lindakimy, the mixed planting sounds awesome. Thanks again!