twn - I think the idea presented by blondepegasus was to scoot the sofa out away from the wall and place either another sofa (not a twin to your existing sofa) or a couple of chairs, all facing one another to make a conversation area or grouping to make the most of your gorgeous FP. Have you tried moving the sofa away from the wall, or more in line with FP in the room (similar to the blonde's pics)?

There is a whole psychology of color from a business POV that differs entirely from painting one's home. Right now your husband's business does a great job of focusing all of the attention to his sign and the entry right under the sign. That is superb. Also the building is acting as a backdrop and not drawing attention away from the business logo/sign. I think painting the gable above the sign different color would be a distraction. His current sign colors and location are excellent. I think the proportions are just right, but I'm a consumer and not a business graphic designer. What are you looking to change?

You can get more of your look but it will be easier if you embrace your love of blue and white and think less of gray:) On the plus side, newer design pics show lots of white, warm woods and less gray. I admit my least favorite thing about the kitchen is the paneled fridge followed closely by the over the range microwave which I could not even reach:) Actually, The first thing I would do is nothing since this is a new to you home. Then you can assess what really is bothering you, and your husband may relent on some changes, and you may have a better idea of a budget. In my own kitchen I did change the counters, subway tile backsplash and short apron Kohler Whitehaven farm sink. It is more vintage / cottage then farmhouse: https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~110720042 https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~109854029 If I had your kitchen some things I would think about: Compromise with the husband - Keep wood cabinets and get new counter - maybe you will need to save up and do it in a year or so, but it is a pretty, functional kitchen so waiting is not a problem. If I had lots of storage, I might want to remove some of the cabinets on the window wall and put in a larger window or replace the cabinet to the right of the sink with shelves or a plate rail cabinet. I admit mine is more for decor then use - but I love the look. A carpenter can rework that cabinet into a plate rail cabinet. That is not cheap but if I could do that in my kitchen I would, but it is too small. I would look into whether or not ordinary doors are available for the fridge. I would replace the OTR Microwave with a vented hood. I would put up a pretty roman shade. Here is my wood kitchens idea book. Maybe something will inspire. Some are new, others are older, refreshed kitchens: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/75202366/list/wood-kitchens

Thank you so much, dsimber, Angel and Bluemarble. If you’re in the room, the pillows have a different (good) vibe, but I agree they look a bit much in the photo.