It'd be pretentious to just arbitrarily say "Those houses are ugly". But she says "Those houses are ugly, and this is why". While I don't agree with her opinion on all the houses she features, but the vast majority -- yeah, they're pretty bad, and for the reasons she states.

* Odd proportions and asymmetry. * Strange roof lines (the "nub" - it's like a Mansard that didn't know when to stop). * Bizarre bump-outs, because the exterior was wrapped around an interior designed to have crazily large rooms. * Columns that hold up nothing. * And my personal favorite - shutters that don't have a prayer of covering the window when closed. Except they can't close, because they're glued and/or screwed to the wall and have no hinges.

You gotta look up the word pretentious. Critiquing bad design isn't pretentious if you know what you're talking about. Living in a poorly made house designed to look more expensive than it is the embodiment of pretentiousness.

pre·ten·tious - adjective - attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

The irony here is that her blog rags on the pretentiousness of houses designed to look like better built/designed houses. McMansions are by definition pretentious.

She explicitly pointed out in multiple posts that she is judging the houses themselves, not the people who own them. How is it not ok to criticize an object?

I mean, she even designed a shirt that says: "Judge Houses Not People." https://www.zazzle.com/judge_houses_not_people_shirt-2351054...

That's a critic. Those who find her criticism speaks to them, are allowed to run with it and hoover up her pronouncements with delight, especially as they're snarky and funny pronouncements. There's very little point in being a critic and then saying 'but you know, your mileage may vary'.

Remembering that is YOUR responsibility, and if a bunch of people seem to prefer the critic's point of view and it clashes with yours… perhaps you have things to learn, even from the arrogant. :)

What do you believe she's pretending to be?

Was she judging the houses or the people?