Coil cut first; you can use a pot as series/single coil switch. In a LP, you can use one of the volume pots if you rewire for one master volume control. If you do so, just leave the pot's ground connection intact, desolder hot in and out wires and connect green + white wires from your BL pickup to the middle lug. When you turn the pot down, the north coil of your pickup will be connected to ground and shut down. You can check which coil is which with a compass, or as you mention yourself, by simply tapping the coils.
If you buy another BL - one of the new ones - you'll have to connect green + red wires from this pickup to the mid lug due to the new wire color scheme.

I can't help with the looks; it's so subjective. What's most important to you? Good looks or good sound :p
But if you choose to install BL's, you can order cream rings to reduce the visual contrast between the pickups/rings and the guitar top. You can also put flat golden humbucker rings on top of the cream (or black) ring(s). That will make a great looking guitar, too.