tracey_b: most of the garage windows around here have simple or lacey sheers, probably installed using tension rods to keep things easy. It looks nice - less like a garage window and more like a home window. You probably want something that can be washed. Our garage is detached and the windows are all on the upper (storage) level... and they're uncovered. Now I'm thinking I have another project to work on! As for our front windows: the treatments are all different. The windows all have mullions so the look is consistent from that perspective. Maybe I never thought about it because one side of the front has a large blossoming tree, so you don't see those windows as much from the sidewalk. I think I would only notice the backs of WTs from the outside if I had nothing else to notice: no pretty landscaping, porch or pretty front door, etc. I say it's your house - do what makes you happy!

Thanks I was hoping that is what people would say. My builder had lazyitis, the bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, and foyer all match in terms of floor/cabs/counters.

So many good answers already. I'll just second one of the earliest replies that pointed out the diversity in yards is much much greater than what we have in our native habitat. I spend a fair amount of time in some mountain locations here. 4 species of trees for miles around: two oaks, a fir and a cedar. My little HOA, which I walk extensively with my dog, has that beat with its coral, carrotwood, ficus benjamina, rubber tree, brush cherry, juniper, podocarpus (several species), silk floss, queen palm, pepper tree (two species), canary island palm, fan palms, hong kong orchid, trumpet tree (brugmansia?), jacaranda, eucalyptus (2 or 3 species), bottle brush, bradford pear, sycamore, liquid amber, 3 or 4 different pines, bronze loquat, catalina cherry and a couple I haven't ID'd. And that's just the front yards in a fairly boring area. I love driving around older neighborhoods where there's been time for the owners to replace things and you see twice or three times the tree species and a lot more fruit trees. Its also worth pointing out that some of the common landscape plants have some decent grafting potential: hawthorn, pear, bronze loquat.

I like some ceilings painted the same as the walls. I have several rooms like that. The exception to that is the kitchen, dining and living room, which I like white ceilings for some reason. I dont like the window casings all painted the same color as the walls. All trim should be the same color throughout the house, including the baseboards.