I think changing your front porch posts and railing would give your house a more modern feel, too. Plain square posts with cable railing, for example. Some examples:

https://www.front-porch-ideas-and-more.com/stainless-steel-cable-railing.html

I don’t know your building codes, you could check to see if it’s ok to just have posts with no railing.

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For landscaping, I like your ideas of grasses and evergreens. I’m not familiar with conditions in your area, but your local nurseries can advise you. Take your pictures to show them.

I’d incorporate decorative rock in the design. Not in place of mulch, or as much as these, but just some spots in the beds.

You could also have grasses in modern-style containers, to give some interest.

One more idea: change your light post fixture to something with a more contemporary aesthetic:

Thanks for the ideas! A lot of what you mentioned was already buzzing around somewhere in my head. The containers sound great. Maybe 3 concrete ones in the space between the porch and the sidewalk, with a grass or a creeping juniper in them. Then possibly some rock filling in the rest of the area.

The rails and posts will definitely be changed, probably just box beams around the existing columns. I really like the sound of cable railing.

The light fixture has been changed for now to a plain globe style fitter, but the post may ultimately be moved.

I think you should invest in a new walk to the porch. The one you have looks like the builder was very stingy.

Very low maintenance.

Guys, thanks so much for the sketches! Phuninthesun I think you are definitely on the right track. Ideally I would want to remove the porch railing (only 18’’ tall), do the siding and posts in cedar, maybe soffits too, and wash the brick a slightly darker color. If not all of the brick, then just hit the white ones that stand out and remind me of little ants.

I love the 3 planters in front of the porch. I think with some grass in them, and Delaware rock filling the bed, it could look really clean.

I agree with the front walkway. It is definitely too small. I’d love to rework it, most likely with concrete to match, tying into the existing one if possible. Maybe having it do a 9O degree turn and parallel the driveway for another 4 ‘squares’ of the same size.

With the recent torrential downpours we’ve had, the downspout in the front was CONSTANTLY getting clogged. That was the endgame for the poor holly. It came down in about an hour, and another 6, alone, to dig out the rootball so I can plant something in its place. Blue arrow or skyrocket junipers are the front runners as of now.

Looks like fun. On my own property, I would cut it flush with ground and let it rot over time. Chances are, the new improved location for a replacement will not be the same exact location and a new hole a couple of feet over will not be near as hard to dig as the one that stump removal required.