I don't download a lot from the gallery, because I want to see pics of the inside before I download anything (and not the miniscule over head view that you see in the gallery) because you can't really see what you're getting. I download mostly from TSR or Mod The Sims, sometimes from Tumblr if the poster has pics.
I'm that person, that almost immediately deletes everything inside the house the minute I place it, so that I can put my own design stamp on it. I'll typically leave the kitchen cabinets/counters and bathrooms, but I always de-clutter stuff before I ever play. And, sometimes the pics look awesome but when you actually see it live, it's way too cramped and compact. I like clutter, but not an excessive amount of clutter, especially deco items on the floors.
Generally, I just build something from scratch for myself or I gut the inside of a downloaded house and change the floor plan to what works best for me.
I'm pretty horrible at landscaping and creating "curb appeal" and since I'm a visual person when I play, I like things to fit the vibe I'm going for in that world. So, I usually download lots because I like the outside aesthetics of it (landscaping, unique shape of the building, the window placements, etc.) then just change the inside to suit me.
