I agree with you both.
Personally, I have no particular interest in “chrome”. While I have an immense appreciation for art, I like practical tools, prefer ping over bling, and enjoy a straight uniform UI rather than some gooee fancy pants. (Enjoy that pun!)
Though some people do have a fantastic way with minimalist colors, lines and design. Those are the people that should be doing it. A technical buffoon (like me) could strike a bit of luck in such arenas, but like in a lottery, luck is about as useful as that UI I might have produced, the majority of times. 