Unless the porch is at least 8-10 feet deep so it can actually work as a room, I wouldn't bother screening it. and you appear to have steps all around it which might look odd ending up unusable.

Very good point! I have lots of plants so my reasoning for screening in was so the animals don’t get the plants 🤣

Screening in the porch might protect you from mosquitoes or plants from bugs, but it's definitely not going to improve the appearance of the house.

The pyramid steps invite a landing all around the base of the porch. If the last step is flush with grade, it is the landing. Then, it should be much deeper (wider) than other steps ... probably something like 3' minimum.

While the title is asking about suggestions for modernization, I'm not sure that's the right direction to go. I'd suggest just upgrading the quality and have things look more finished ... of whatever period the architecture already suggests, not necessarily "modern."

There is an obvious need for a defined parking area, a connecting approach from it to the house, and some planting ... especially a tree or two. We're not looking at a good view in order to be able to tell best what's needed. For that, take pictures straight on to the house front, with the camera lined up with the center of the house. Be about 25' away. Take a series of slightly overlapping photos while panning the camera. (Do not change camera location.) Extend scene far enough to sides that we could see the neighboring houses in the background if there were some. (We know there are not.)

Sorry I don’t really have any ideas. Just dropping in to say you have a lovely house.

It does not need modernized. It just needs landscaping and probably trees.

I totally agree with emmarene9. It needs landscaping. I think some nice big pots on the porch, maybe even some hanging baskets. Hire a landscaper to draw out a good landscape plan around your porch. You have a lot of stone, I think it might be a bit “warmer” if you broke up that stone a bit, and plants seem to be a wonderful way to do that. I love a front porch ... yours it great, but could be really fabulous.

The best improvement you could do would be a formalized driveway, concrete or block. The sparse and scattered gravel with dead Round-Up-ed grass edging is not attractive.

UpScaping could look cool on the front of your home. Vertical Artificial Gardens are new and becoming increasingly popular because of the realism, no maintenance and no fading. Our are designed by a horticulturist in London and just came to the US over a year ago. You can see more options on our profile or https://www.upscapers.com