I got distracted from my work so I made some Continuwuity propaganda. Continuwuity is a lightweights Matrix chat server that you can self-host pretty easily. Give it a try :3
Everything there (aside from perhaps not printing the full URL under the QR code) is deliberate and a part of the 'brand'. Roboto + Sour Gummy for the fonts, asymmetry, whimsy. If you don't like it, I'm sure you can use Element's Synapse and you'll be able to talk to people using Continuwuity just fine. That's kind of the point.