I disagree with you on recoil pads being ugly, however I prefer the looks of skeleton buttplates and gripcaps. My dislikes are gold inlays and engraved stocks, I have yet to see any that doesn't make the gun look cheesy.
I will definitely agree, and definitely disagree about the engraved stocks. It seems to me that 99.9% of engravings on bolt action stocks is very distasteful, especially carvings that include animals. However a well done Kentucky rifle or one of the very old German type percussion or single shots can be true works of art.