I know what you mean. I think it's because I spent a few years as a kid with uncorrected vision but if something is fuzzy or lacking in detail, it bugs me. I want to squint and make the picture right. *laughs*

These colors are muted for me but I suspect in the larger icon community, they don't count as very muted. I'm ok with that for now. I do want to develop an eye for when muted color would better serve an image but for now it isn't a talent I have. Until then, I love color and I'm more likely to indulge in it than not.