Ahhh! Buy you CAN make it prettier. As a matter of fact, you can make it nice enough to be just about livable and never actually have to build a complete house at all! I start by using the terrain tool to build a "fence" all around the perimeter. Not terribly attractive but that plus a gate keeps the paparazzi out and provides privacy. Next, color it with flowers using the other kind of terrain tool. Add a couple of hydrangeas. ($1.00 each, gives nice vista moodlet). Use four cheap pillars so you can rise up a level and lay down the free, wood floor as a "roof".
Helps keep meteors away. Put more of the free, wood floor on the ground for a "floor". Add one wall for the toilet and put your shower next to it for a bit more potty privacy. You can actually use two or get giddy with using a total of four walls. STYLING! lol Put a roof on the potty and hang the cheapest light bulb light in there.
Put another cheapest light bulb light somewhere on the outside of the potty room wall. This is the only room to build. You can extend the "roof" out from the potty too so then you only need to use three posts instead of four.
Eventually you remove all but one or two of them. Add the cheapest but good quality appliances and stuff and don't forget more hydrangeas and that little vase that costs $1 for the nicely decorated moodlet. If the terrain tool "walls" are too depressing you can use a cheap, brick fence instead but in a much smaller area. I have also gotten away with buying a tent, having a toilet, two counters, one sink, one stove, (or grill), one chair and one table. Chair and table are optional as they will sit on the toilet to eat and use the tent for sitting and reading. All on a 10x10 lot for uber cheap, or huge lot for legacy/dynasty.
