I don't want visual design to be fun. I want it to be clean and consistent. I would gladly take something in 16 color EGA with Comic Sans as its main font if it would just stick to a rigid and clear design language.

I don't think if buttons are flat or lickable or shiny or bezeled or oozing pus-filled nodules. As long as every button has the same styling as every other button and nothing that isn't clickable has that styling? I'm happy.

Pick something and stick to it.

And people who want "fun" designs can go work on their blog.