Correct

美观 vs 美丽

/ měiguān vs měilì /
Strokes

Formula

1
美丽动人
2
美观大方

Definition

美观 and 美丽 both are Adjectives, which means [pleasing to the eye; beautiful]; indicate that sth. arouses a person's aesthetic feeling.

Example

美观 stresses the form and is applied to things and not human beings; while 美丽 can be applied to human beings as well as things.
1) In example ①, 美丽 is used, though not as colloquial as 好看 or 漂亮, yet is not unusual;

2) In examples ① and ②, 美观 cannot be used. 美丽动人 is a set phrase;

3) In example ③, since it refers to the exterior, 美观 can be used instead.
美丽动人
1
cháng
de
hěn
měi
美丽
  

She is goodlooking.

2
Zhè
shì
měi
美丽
dòngrén
动人
de
mínjiān
民间
chuánshuō
传说
  

This is an attractive and moving folklore.

3
Huātán
花坛
bèi
zhuāngdiǎn
装点
de
shí
fēn
měi
美丽
  

The flower garden is decorated beautifully.

美观 applied to a thing, and 美观大方 is a habitual collocation.
美观大方
4
Fángjiān
房间
zhì
布置
de
měiguān
美观
fāng
大方
  

The room is artistically decorated.

5
Zhège
这个
jǐng
布景
tài
měiguān
美观
  
,
yǒudiǎnr  
有点儿
俗气
  

The scenery setting is not beautiful, but a bit in poor taste.

Related

美观美丽