it's hard to tell from the pics but the blue really isn't that dark

I'd put a semi gloss shade of white on the eat in area....it'll allow light to bounce around. And I'd put a gloss accent color on that ceiling and leave the fixture. How about color of the year...?living coral? .....[I'm not a trend person but it would be a nice detail in the right shade there]….then get all your furnishings and work on a valance for the window....You can change the fixture later. There is no harm in leaving it and a new fixture will have a cost and there are too many fixtures to choose from to know right away. Really stylish little space!

Who is going to be responsible for maintaining the landscape you or the tenant? If it is going to be the tenant, put in a lawn and leave them a mower in the garage and be done with it. You can make it modern with two really big boulders in the lawn. If water is an issue, then do a drought tolerant groundcover and two really big boulders. if you plan to provide a landscape maintenance service as part of the rental things can be different. In either case remove the white river rock wall at the front entry.

Yes, they are the same. One option is instead of "high hat" cans, to get the retrofit recessed trim kits (have integrated LED) that only need standard boxes. Easier to install, my crew told me. I prefer 6", 3000k, 800 lumen lights myself. Your small space might do with 5". It is hard to tell, but it looks like your work space is short and narrow enough that you only need 3 of these. I would stagger them with the first positioned about 1.75' from the door wall, and centered over the edge of the counter (this prevents your shadow from falling on your work surface.) Then place the next about 3.5" down ( about in front of the stove? or where the fridge meets the stove?) centered 6-8 inches from the front of the stove/ fridge - so the light can illuminate the uppers there as well as work surface (can't see from you pics if there is a cabinet over the stove, or a hood, or not.) The last, again, 3.5' or so from the 2nd, and centered over the counter edge. The rule of thumb is to have the cones of light from the fixtures just overlap, and so they are not behind you as you stand at your work surface. Measure your space and work out how that rule of thumb will lay out in your space. A track light that curves from one surface edge toward the other is another option.