Using featured image as page background plus issue with header media onfrontpage

Hi -- I have two questions I'd love some help with if possible. 1) Is there a way whereby the featured image I have selected for each page can becomes the background for the page? 2) When I select "Excluding FrontPage" for my Header media, the Header photo shows up as expected on all the other pages but on the front page, there is now a large black area. I'd like there to be no change to the frontpage when Header Media is selected as "Excluding Frontpage" -- is this possible? Thank you!