1) Preferences: Look and Feel:Grid View: offers you the background color
2) There is more there than just the auto-sized search entry. Need mor space: turn off text below icons, reduce Icon size or move items to Menubar (has no icons)
3)Over my body,

I read that status all the time: It contains Total: In the current view and NUMBER SELECTED (very important before you hit Delete or othe major change)