I'm building a few web apps. I'm using Ruby on Rails with Bootstrap CSS. I use a basic layout with a top nav, a footer, and the main content in-between. I use plain text almost exclusively instead of heavily stylized text or graphics. I prefer this style. It's simple, straightforward, and easy to navigate. I've been told by more than a few people that my apps are boring, ugly even. I think they are useful. While I believe an app can be nicely polished, it's not the most important aspect which is function. I remember having this discussion more than once. Form over function to me is pointless. You can build pretty pages, cool graphics, amazing color schemes. But if you have limited time and resources, give me a black and white, plain text site that actually does something any day.
Would you rather a car with beautiful body panels and a luxurious interior but no engine? Or would you like a car with missing panels, primer paint, but a functional drivetrain that can get you from one place to another?
I'll take ugly but functional any day.