Ever read that thing about how once you see a design flaw you can't unsee it? My neighbor told me my deck railing balusters looked like prison bars because they were spaced too evenly. Now I mix up the spacing just a tiny bit on every section. It's a five minute fix that makes the whole thing look less factory made.
That "little hats" comment would drive me nuts. Had a client call my deck stairs "military precise" once, which sounds good but they meant it looked stiff. Now I always vary the overhang on the treads by like an eighth of an inch. It takes no extra time and the whole run looks more natural, less like a machine made it. That tiny bit of irregularity makes a huge difference in the final feel.
My uncle used to say the same thing about my fence posts. Back when I started out, I thought tight and even was the way to go. "They're posts, they're supposed to be straight," I'd tell him. But that "little hats" comment is exactly right. I finally gave in after the third time someone mentioned it. Now I take an extra thirty seconds on each post to break the edge with a rasp or just let the cut be a hair off. It's like you're adding a tiny bit of character that makes it look like a person built it, not a robot. That little bit of personality makes everything feel way more intentional.