I agree with your five rules. If things are not important to the story why add them? If race or any other physical attribute is important to the story, add it, but if not, then why add it?

I like to let readers use their imagination and fill in the details. Nothing makes me lose interest more quickly than overly descriptive, poetic attempts at setting a scene. Let me use my imagination a little. Don’t try to show off what a great writer you are. Tell me a story.