my survival builds are about functionality and defense. my creative builds are about style and detail. i have never felt bad that the survival build didn't look as good as the creative build because the survival build simply doesn't need to be ornate or even nice looking. you can totally do that if you want, it's really about how much time and effort you want to devote to it. I love to watch the great builders build and then incorporate various techniques of theirs into my own methods. you can use mods to eliminate stability requirements but i have never found that necessary. I can build as high as I like within the game's parameters.
I did mod for a while but I prefer the simplicity of vanilla because I think that the limits we have on us can paradoxically open us up to new ways of thought and make us better problem solvers. that said, we should be able to put any item on an item stand and hang item stands downward facing from the ceiling. also plant decorative vines and bushes. come on IG, get with the program.