The reason Carpenter's Blocks and Chisel are touted as such amazing aesthetics mods is not because they make pretty things, but because of the enormous amount of flexibility you can get with them.
Carpenter's Blocks, for example, can make any block look like practically anything. You can make a thatch roof using carpenters blocks and planes and hay bales. It is the modularity with which you can apply any block to any shape and configuration that makes it so amazing.
ExtraUtilities has some amazing decoration blocks with fantastic connected textures, and they aren't generally very difficult to make which is always a bonus.
Generally, though, when you talk about aesthetics, you are probably going to want to start talking more about resource packs, which is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.