The experts will want to know your specific to know the grow zone.

I am in love with this porch (maybe not so much the railings). I'm a returnee to the southeast, Raleigh, so my gardening skills are a little rusty for this area; I would love to see hostas to break up the darker tones and brick. I'd also think see thriller-spiller-filler arrangements will be helpful since you have so much space.

I, too, will have a south facing porch so I look forward to reading the experts suggestions. The chairs are lovely.

What color is the trim?

maybe a couple (blue) flower boxes on the left and right?

pic didn’t attach on my comment...

I would try live "thriller-spiller-fillers between the columns and the wrought iron railing. They'll be visible from the windows flanking the doors too. Then replicate them with a huge one centered out in the middle of the brick pavement. You could also replicate your entry way by building a pergola out on the pavement that echos the style of the porch front and columns. I think you need some more substantial lanterns and pendant light that are white light, not yellow. The pendant needs to hang lower to light the doors rather than show through the windows above. The lanterns should be 1/3 of the doors' height. The doors are quite the focal point here but look to need some TLC and a good clean up/shine up. They might look good painted laquer black with brass pulls and lion heads. When you pick the plant colors, find a larger rug that replicates them. I don't think this is a "hanging out" porch, so I wouldn't do seating.

For the pavement - a pergola and T-F-S planting

Summer Annuals · More Info

Another style for the pavement

Traditional Perennial · More Info

Go vertical with the same plants on the porch.

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You don't really have a front porch as much as a very grand entryway. I would move your chairs to a back yard, as no one would ever sit on either side of your doorway. Get two large, dark, planters to place on each side of the entry. Look for plants with some height that will do well in shade and have some textural interest.

Barton Hills Family & Entertaining Space · More Info

Some clean, tall (potted for your space) grasses would go well.

Or go with a cascading look.

Not a pro but I agree with calidesign's description of a grand entry rather than a porch. Can't advise about any greenery but I do notice your house numbers are pale on a light background. Might want to consider more visible numbers. Also, the entry lights could be bigger, I think.

Another reason no one will sit in the chairs is because everyone in the region would hear their shouted conversation. If there is actually any chance someone would actually ever really sit in this entry, I would move the two chairs to one of the corners with a table and/or floor lantern and balance them in the other corner with some of the planter suggestions.

Otherwise, what calidesign said.

I would take away the chairs, very much upgrade the outdoor/rug mat, but otherwise unless you are willing to invest in art at the level of sculpture or artistic tiling, I would leave it all alone. Unless you get enough sun there to grow potted trees (any greenery needs to be on that scale), don’t bother with plants either.

I do think pin lights embedded in the walls that shine horizontally across each step at night would be nice.

If I was going to invest in artwork, I would get two wavy “streams” of blue tile to come down each side of the steps. If I had 3 or 4 million dollars I might get two David Smith sculptures for each “niche”, but otherwise you aren’t “hopeless” at decorating that space. It is finished.

I think if you did something like this, or 2 fruit trees, or 2 large flowering trees, on other side at the base of the steps it could be quite spectacular, but I would get square planters.

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There are so many beautiful for options for this grand entry. Beautiful home.

A few thoughts:
Remove the iron railing. If that can't happen camoflauge or enhance it with pots or stands with pots in a concrete or concrete look oe teak to keep with the modern look you want.

For the door area, if you do sit out here move the seating area to one side. If not then have both sides with a wall waterfall fountain, planets and wall of plants. remove the lion heads off the door if that's an option.

Not sure what is on the other side of the brick patio at the bottom but if it a lawn area then a waterfall square arch seems like a perfect fit for the end of that brick. I will post an inspo next for this because I can only post so many.

This is just a few thoughts...

Here's the arch inspo

I doubt local codes will allow for removal of the railing; it might be considered a hazard to navigate all those stairs without one. You could change it to a curved one if you want to break up the linearity of your facade.

Something you might try is to move the chairs and the mat over to one side of the area to create a conversation area, as an experiment. If you like the way that looks, you could think about doing that on both sides. Start to look at both sides as two separate ”rooms” and think if you would actually enjoy sitting out there. You have so much stone out there I wouldn’t be afraid to bring a big standing candelabra for candles. You need to be careful not to clutter the space.

You could have one side with seating and the other side with trees and other huge plants in containers, like a rooftop garden. Maybe you could even create a water feature with water spilling down a metal piece in front to the wall. If you get enough sunlight on either side, growing night blooming jasmine on trellises could work.behind a seating area and become a fabulous place to sit for drinks in the evening.

But I wouldn’t do it as a stage set. Only if you really would like to use the space. Otherwise, I would treat it as a gallery-museum type space. Be very careful where you place an object or plant because you will be framing it and everybody is going to stare at it, so it better be worth looking at and like it belongs there.

I think your entry is amazing!

You need the railings for safety, but I wonder if they could be moved to line up with the two posts. That's what is throwing off the lines of the entry.