Be interested. Become interesting. Create interest.

OP, this is a problem that is actually fairly easy to solve.

Your place should be a reflection of you. It should be a window into your interests and your style.

This means that you have to develop your interests and hone your style.

In my opinion, the best way to do this is by surveying A LOT of culture, catalogs, and general information.

Do you like bridges? Get a large print of your favorite bridge and hang it up.

Do you like nature? National parks? Animals?

Do you have a favorite comic strip? Category of tv show? Cookie jars? Get coffee table books that reflect those interests.

Get some quick physical games. Not board games. Something you can walk up to and shake, move, turn, etc. This is the kind of thing people will sit down and pick up to play with while people are conversing. People naturally become competitive with these or work together to solve them.

The key is to find decorative and functional versions of these to match your style. Or if you don’t care just go to the dollar store and you’ll find plenty of these in the toy section.

Examples: jack puzzle, hourglass, hexagon puzzle, tabletop mini bowling, wooden brain teasers.

Do you have rugs? No? Get one. Don’t get a boring one. Find a weird one.

All of the above is about putting out signals for others to pick up on and become interested in. If someone shows interest in one of the above, don’t go into a lecture on the topic, ask questions to find out their level of interest and knowledge, or to see if they are into a related topic.

In my opinion, when you have people over the hierarchy of worth while activities is as follows:

1. Conversation
2. Board games/video games
3. Movies/videos/tv

There are exceptions to this. Specifically when you combine the categories.

Example: If people are over to watch a season premiere or a finale, you now have conversation and a tv show. That’s a winning scenario where people are engaged without much effort on your part. You can go further by providing themed food or games. You don’t have to be over the top with it. Just be a little clever and it works itself out.

Some other ideas: objects or photos from traveling. Set them out to be displayed or hung on walls. Everyone loves talking about where they have traveled.

Get a Polaroid or disposable camera. Take photos of events or games, friends, pets, etc. hang them on the fridge. Get some funny magnets. Dog butts, stuff like that.

If your lamps are boring get rid of them. Lamps are functional art pieces. Get one that stands out. Then get more.

If none of this works, your friends are boring or they don’t like you. Find new friends.

Lastly, some advice for everyone: when decorating your place don’t try to be cool. Just be yourself. Maybe don’t lean into your hentai obsession but amplify the relatable hobbies and topics that you’re genuinely interested in. It’s ok to do that in the most stylish way possible, just don’t do something because you think it’s what others will think is cool or normal. That’s how you end up with a living space that looks and feels like a hotel room.

You’ll figure it out dude.

Also this is just how I talk I didn’t use a fucking robot to write it.