100% agree. I only have a few 4e books and they rarely make the cut for "bathroom reading", and a good part of that is the style of the books (plus I did not get into 4e - but I can still mine for ideas while on the Throne). I got Menzo for Xmas (editionless), and it just not look right up there with all my 3e FR books with its sky/caribbean blue colored cover. And the whiteboard looks seems really odd for a book about the Underdark, Drow, and running evil campaigns (do you sense a theme here? its not florescent white or sky blue...).
4e Dark sun is the same way on the inside. This a post apoc setting, but all the powers and such have such clean lines, bright colors, etc. Very sanitary and bright. The bright might fit the world theme, but crisp and clean does not. As a comparison, I got Pinnacles Hell on Earth (updated for their Savage Worlds system) recently - and everything about the book -- fonts, framing, art, layout -- added to the post apoc feeling of the setting. I just do not understand how a company the size of Wizards/Hasbro can just fumble that kind of stuff away and a small shop nails it right on the head. If there is any advantage that Wizards should have its the ability to make top notch products from a look/feel/theme given the economy of size for their print runs.