I don't mind the ironwork, but I don't love it. Is is structural, or just there for decoration? It doesn't appear to be structural, and it bothers me because it is not centered on the entry area or the stairs. I think teacat's suggestion of taking them down and using them on the left between the two windows as a trellis is a great idea, tho I would paint them white. If you decide to keep them where they are, I would paint them white. I wouldn't add columns - wrong for the house, imo. I would prefer to see the porch open, if possible. A bench to the left of the door, house numbers in a decorative plaque above it. No coach light - wrong for the style and period of the house. I think the overhead light at the door is more effective, anyway. I would also consider painting the sills on the windows in white to match the windows and other trim. I think it would give them more weight. Once you get rid of the ironwork, I think the pots will work well. But they need some greenery hanging over the edges, to connect the vertical lines of the evergreens to the pot, and not have the gap. Perhaps the bench could have a cushion with some red in it as well. Sometime I hope you might consider painting the front door a pretty eggplant or teal, or even a deep golden yellow color. It would be stunning. Then you could bring in the bench in white, with a colorful cushion in a sixties print with the door color, black from the shutters, and some white in it. At that point you might have to change the color of the pots to black.

I usually think a natural slate works best here.

Okay, I've got a list here: Not knowing if you have money to spend, I will just say that you can have a company that specializes in decorative work put an overlay on the porch floor - it can be patterned, and/or colored, or just plain. Barring that, yes, powerwash first, and if needed, there is paint especially made for painting cement floors. That solution will require repaint periodically (after some years.) I agree with trying to make your various porch furnitures more cohesive - either invest in more matching pieces, or paint everything the same color. Do you use the picnic table for meals? I would turn it so it's length is along the side wall. Buy a pretty freestanding towel rack - one that goes with your furniture as much as possible - and tuck that into the corner for the towels, if there is not an accessible back door area to use instead. I would get a larger light fixture ( I would favor black), ditch the too-small wreath, and hang a good sized wall decoration - like a metal one - on the side wall above the picnic table. Your house numbers are small also - can you relocate those to next to or above the garage?

I totally get the beach and grass problem. Try tall fescue. But landscape with a variety of beCh grasses, hydrangeas and black-eyed susans. at the foundation. Foundations do no require shrubs. When we redid our landscaping we used @1” river rock over landscaping fabric around the foundation, about 1 foot wide to create a non-termite friendly environment. The rest of extended gardens are mulched with leaves we shred each fall. Shredded leaf mulch = fewer leaf bags to fill for yad waste recycling = no bags to haul to the road 🙂