I prefer large builds, myself. And when I make them, I do my best to not clutter every room up with furniture, and all that other stuff. I've taken some nice builds from the Gallery, but although the floorplan may be appealing, many a time the builder has furnished it so that my Sim in RL would have to step over stuff just to get into a room! Who lives like that, except my late grandmother? So, I try to selectively place a couple of chairs and a table where it isn't crowded and yet gives a nice homey ambience to the area without it looking like a slob lived there.
A cut-away of my latest build:
https://i.imgur.com/A7fd8le.jpg