The easy truth: Simpler is better. Less is more.
The hard truth you probably don’t want to hear: Outside of brand fanatics (who are awesome, by the way), the masses don’t really care what your logo, website, or app looks. They just want things to work as quickly and unobtrusively as possible.
Should design be attractive? Absolutely, yes*.
But more important than how design looks is how design works. Simple logos work better than intricate ones. Simple, well-organized websites & apps work better than bloated, complex ones.
With branding & logos, my style is to create minimalist logomarks that render well at small sizes and in limited colors—like in a social media avatar—but with refined details that look great blown up to the size of a building. Or a billboard. Or whatever. I avoid ‘trendy’ logo design because brands live longer than trends. All things being equal (which isn’t always the case) a simple logomark is more effective than a convoluted one.
With websites & apps, my style is to create minimalist interfaces that are efficient and attractive (most clients call it ‘clean’ design). My digital product design is focused on providing a good user experience, leveraging technology, embracing constraints, and letting the content shine—because content and user experience are what drive people to websites and apps.
*Except when it’s intentionally unattractive.