In fact, today's lighting is not near being boring crap. Compact LED sources allow for some really creative luminaire designs if you look around. And what do you say for example about modern high-CRI LED module, emitting nice red-rich CRI98 light just by applying DC current? No high voltages, no explosion risks... Or other modern wonders like 200lm/W lamps emitting a LOT of acceptable quality light just by using some 5W of power...
True, not all LED lights are boring! ... but allot are (not that didn't also apply to many modern non-LED lights as well).
But 'crap' does apply to the vast majority on LED fixtures I see, be it cheap or expensive. Anything with integrated non-replaceable parts fits tn this category. (note: "non-replaceable" meaning not replaceable with a standard part - such as lightbulbs/tubes/ballasts/etc, how most older fixtures were )
Now efficiency, that simply put is where LED stands out! Along with lifespan - if it is a decent quality lamp.
Also decorative/colored is another place where LED has done great things (Christmas lights being one example, all the various RGB lights, being another)