Opinions in design

Has anyone else who does the whole design thing ever come up with something they’re convinced is great, then been told that it’s not quite what the client was looking for and having to go back to designing something that just doesn’t feel as right, but is closer to the client’s desire?

That’s what’s happened to me recently… who remembers the Windows High Contrast themes? It’s looking something like that… red, black and white, coming from the previous design of far subtler blues and greens. Apparently it’s “youthful”, although I think it’s a tad too aggressive, personally! My current task? Turn the German flag into a website.

… it’ll get done, and possibly even look good, but that doesn’t mean I agree with it! Who else has felt that what a client is asking for in terms of design just feels wrong, even if their suggestion could be made to work just fine?