Sheila, in a restaurant, those are called hightops and they started out as seating in the bar area. They are convenient to servers because there is no bending to serve at the table, and some restaurants like them because they take up slightly less room than a table of the same size. Why? because you sit on a stool, which is slightly smaller and your legs hang down slightly and take up a bit less room than with your feet flat on the floor, And in a restaurant, 12 tables instead of 10 can make a big difference. For home use they are an outgrowth of counter height seating at an island. It's kind of like having island seating but more flexible and smaller than an island so it may satisfy some people who don't have an island with seating. I don't find them particularly practical or useful in kitchens, but I have used them in gamerooms. In the kitchen I prefer to sit with my feet on the floor.

This is easily salvageable. The issue is the shakes on the center break up the front of the house and visually create 3 separate sections where there shouldn't be. Preferably I would remove the shakes from that section and carry the horizontal siding across the entire front. This would eliminate the white trim work they installed which further divides the visual line. However I imagine at this point your builder will not do that. So paint the white trim strips and the shakes in the second story the same grayed green (assuming you like the grayed green? ) and then I think the tan shakes on the third story color can be done in a more complimentary color that is closer to the darker gray in your stone. This will be more subtle. More of a warm Greige color. You front door can be painted that same color.I assume your porch posts will be white like your trim is.

* Also when looking at the hallway ^... that photo of the "door" to the right is actually an elevator door...(Its faux painted...done before we moved here.) That is also the dilemma... if husband paints trim white... there is that door and I do NOT want to paint it white. so can the trim around the door be painted?

The doors and knobs are dating the house. If it's in the budget, it might save you time and effort to replace the doors with a different style in a pre-painted door. Lever handles would also update the look. Then you would have to paint the trim to match. However, wood products are one of things affected by COVID shortages and price increases, so if you do decide to replace the doors, it might pay to wait a year. While gray is going out, you have an overabundance of beige which is also dating the house. So as not to break the bank maybe selectively replace some of the beige flooring? Before doing anything, try to develop an overall plan for your update. Even if you spread the work and/or expense over a couple years, an overall plan will yield a more satisfactory, cohesive result.