[catinsocks]

If you like a DE use the remix they are pretty vanilla (ubuntu gnome, lubuntu, kubuntu, xubuntu) you can make them more vanilla if you forgo installing a desktop cd and just install the DE without the *-desktop package from a minimal or alternative cd install.

Otherwise give up on ppas (they may or may not work on debian) and look at maybe open build service or something.

Mint i think is compatabile with ppas but mint is very not vanilla