Pay the money for the steel to bridge the entire distance without the columns.

I would move them so they are about a foot away from the ends

Get rid of them. If they are decorative, they are in the wrong spots and the wrong style. They should be placed more symmetrically, and they should be both far simpler and more bulky in appearance.

If they are structural, then they need to be replaced with an engineered lumber or steel beam.

No columns at all would be the preference for how it looks.

I agree w/live_wire. I think it would look best w/out the columns.

If you need them for structural reasons, then I suggest making them look more intentional and a feature. Here are 3 examples that do this with different styles. The opening between the columns is wide enough for a generous walkway.

If you need columns or if you just want them for a decorative feature, I think you need to use different columns with a bit of wall too like Engineerchic posted. Here examples look great and would enhance your space.
The posts you used remind me of the posts that were used a lot on the top of half walls in 1980's homes. If I looked in some picture albums I could find pictures of the in smaller version in my previous home. And by the way, we removed all those columns in our other house and it looked better without them

Agree, get rid of them or do them like engineerchic suggests.

To my eyes, they look too-skinny for their height (and the lower, square, section is proportionally too long), which throws the whole picture off, almost as if it's unsafe to stand near them. Columns, posts, etc. need a large enough diameter to look structurally sound, even if they are just decorative.

As an example, see the round posts above the half wall pictured above. They look right, and they span only two-thirds the distance from top to bottom as your do.

Please don't feel bad, these days 95% of all columns and porch posts are much too thin for their height. There are some classic formulas for calculating the eye-sweet diameter for columns. If you Google for it, I'm sure you clould winkle it out. If not, post back and I'll look it up for you. You will find the bottom diameter is quite surprisingly large; the columns can taper towards the top where it meets your ceiling.

HTH

L.

Oh gosh, those don't work. I wish I could tell you they look awesome but I agree with everything that everyone else has said other than just moving them further apart.

I agree that you'd need to do something like EngineerChic suggested or just get rid of them like live_oak_wire suggested. Are these needed for structural reasons, or are you wanting to add them for aesthetics?

The ones you have don't work on several levels. Architecturally they just don't fit in your space. The style is all wrong. They are a very traditional design and would need other traditional elements to support them visually. If you notice the pics from EngineerChic, all of those rooms also have some detailed molding (casing around the opening as well as crown).

I also agree that they are too tall and skinny. They look like an afterthought and I can picture people walking into them constantly.

I hope you'll post back. You asked for honest and got it with the best of intentions.

Honesty is what you want??? Okay, here goes.

Get rid of the columns or do what EngineerChic recommended.
I know this is probably a big budget change but you won't
regret the look. The columns chop up the space and with
your kitchen I can see you want an open feel.

Whatever direction you do go it, it will all work out.
You'll see.
~boxer

Ditto to all of the above.

It may help us if you can post a picture of some other architectural elements in your home that you are trying to relate these posts to. These posts have a Victorian look to them, some of the ones above are more craftsman style. The strong elements already present in your home would give some direction to the suggestions given here.