To me the biggest problem here is that the kitchen is the first thing you see when you come through the front door. I see that so much, but WHY????

One of my favorite architects always used the word "gracious" to describe the flow in a house. And please don't confuse gracious with formal. A rustic cabin in the woods can have a gracious flow. Entering the home and immediately seeing the entire space is not a gracious way to enter. The entrance should be separate, with the rooms revealing themselves over a period of time. The sense of expectation, taking in the space little by little, is important to the overall plan and design.