Grass is the largest omni-crop in our country, it takes all the water and only has aesthetic appeal. 

It’s a big backyard and I’m concerned about the aesthetics and the area around the patio getting muddy when it rains. 

Each piece of aluminum and wood had to be custom shaped and assembled to achieve utility and aesthetic, and I had to become a plumber and electrician for the first time as well!

With Commercial, the variables that come into play are vechicles per day, ease of ingress/egress, aesthetics, loading dock, signage, visibility, interior dimensions (square is better than long deep rectangles), neighboring tenants etc. 

We do the same exact aesthetic on all of our renovations so there are specific materials and color choices we do every time.

I agree that these standards can cause rentals to seem nicer than other owner-occupied homes, however I believe that the standards aren't unreasonably high and that it's our duty as landlords to ensure that properties are kept in good condition, both in terms of safety and aesthetics, for our tenants and also the community. 

We did this for aesthetics and also to reduce wear and tear on the property by not having mud and dirt tracked indoors quite as much.

IMO it takes very little expertize to construct or decorate in the "modern-contemporary" aesthetic.

For reference we bought a 4/2 in Big Bass Lake (aesthetically it’s looks like a cabin and we went with a modern, Scandinavian design approach, though the bathrooms and kitchens are still original).

@Erin Wysocki  You obviously did well financially but aesthetically, I'm sorry to say,  I think it's poor.