Front garden alternative to chipping

[SlightlyJaded]

We have a Victorian terrace with a front garden of about 5x5m. Until now it has had a couple of beds and gold chipping. I have always hated the gravel and have just got rid of it and levelled the ground (on a whim) but now can't afford to pave (which us what I'd ideally do) as three quotes are all around £3k which us more than I expected. Hate gravel, hate chipping, hate anything bitty. Grass won't grow as our soil is terrible and now wish I'd never stared. Any ideas?

Could you create a couple of raised beds full of shrubs using decking timber?
Sorry I'm not much help, I have slate 'chipping' in mine and I hate it interested to hear any other options!

Beds would be fine but it’s around the beds that I don’t know what to do with. All chipping just looks like cat littered me

FIL, who usually avoids DIY, managed to lay a red brick path in their garden, leaving little gaps which were planted with tiny mossy plants. I don't think it was grouted, just filled with sand?
I just googled and found marbles used as gravel

In what way is your soil bad?
A massive thing of topsoil delivered to you isn’t that expensive. And then grass seed which is also cheap.

Bark clippings are very cheap. Maybe put a couple of pots in the garden to brighten it.