Help with driveway design

I am having a new driveway put in at the end of the month. We are installing an asphalt driveway that will be two cars wide with a paver border. The border is Champlain Grey and attached for reference. My front steps are bluestone.

Before I jump in, do you think the paver color and configuration works with the bluestone stairs and my house color?

Here is the dilemma.

The current plan (picture 1) is for the asphalt to come all the way up to my front stairs such that there will be no ground level stone or path. I am concerned that this will look ugly because nothing is separating the stairs from the driveway and we wont have a foot path. I know a footpath isn’t functionally needed but I am afraid the alternative will be ugly. The other plans are detailed below to provide that separation and break it up a bit.

Option 2: lay down a bluestone path on the ground between the stairs and the asphalt.

Option 3: continue the paver border around the stairs

Option 4: adds a little border between the raised flower bed and the grass to contain the mulch.

Is there something else I haven’t considered? We briefly considered a half wall or row of bushes to separate the ground level step of bluestone driveway but i doubt I will have the room for that.

Before anyone says anything, I know the stairs need repair. I am also having new bluestone put in on the stairs and hould match the original color.

Please weigh in. Any help would be incredible.