The halls are dreary, I admit. Our neighbors in Elpis have buildings and dwellings far more welcoming in appearance.

[And Amaurot even more so. But far more people live there.]

As for your other questions, animals and insects are common among creations, as is plant life. People, however... well, there are certainly creations that might be considered such in a sense, though as we are not able to create souls, they are not exactly like us.