Best stick with Acer, then, provided you have sufficient dappled shade for them, plus shelter from cold winds, so don't plant in exposed situations. Choose from the fancy leaved and coloured varieties carefully - some are slower growing than others, so anything with 'dissectum' in the name will be much slower growing, which is what you want. As for fruit trees, your best bet would be dwarf ones or growing cordons.
If you want some height without width, though, have a look at Prunus amanagowa, the flagpole cherry - pale pink blossom in spring on a tree that doesn't get any wider than 6 feet. Would need to be 20 feet away from the house though...

I would suggest either dwarf fruit trees (including crab apples and prunus) or, if you don't want over 7' tall, why not go for a shrub that grows from a single stem instead of a tree? Some Viburnums make lovely small trees....I used to have a lovely v. trilobum in my old garden, and the evergreen ones are another option. Also, google 'cloud pruning' for some lovely examples of how shrubs can be pruned to look like trees, japanese style. For lovely autumn colour and a small tree that doesn't grow more than 2m try Prunus Incisa Kojo-no-Mai which is just about to flower now. It's lovely, with twisted stems and beautiful orange hues in the autumn. Probably hardier than the Acer in windy sites too. Just another thought, if you have acid soil or can provide a big container, some of the big Rhododendrons are stunning, and have scent too. The crowns can usually be raised without problem, so you get a more tree like result. Some naturally grow into tree shapes so easy peasy!