Not exactly sure what desktop environment/theme or applicaition combination you were trying but I disagree.
Aesthetics is very subjective topic. But we can all agree that since Windows' Vista the focus hasn't been on eyecandy but rather functionality. Expensive visual effects are now removed and the UX is very plain, with not a lot of room for customization.
Aesthetics is very subjective topic. But we can all agree that since Windows' Vista the focus hasn't been on eyecandy but rather functionality. Expensive visual effects are now removed and the UX is very plain, with not a lot of room for customization.
I personally use this theme:
https://snwh.org/paper
https://www.gnome-look.org/p/1013706/
Contains a GTK 3 theme, icons and cursors. Looks way better than Windows.