two sides of the same coin

My aesthetic sense vacillates between two very different extremes. I sort of feel like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (minus the evil tendencies): on one hand I love clean, blank minimalist spaces, and on the other I'd love to live in a romantic space that tells a story. I think that my burgeoning life as a writer has encouraged me to edit myself and my home. But I love, love, love stories. And why shouldn't your home be an extension of the story of your life? Um, how to choose? I've found two house tours on the blogosphere which visualize my conundrum. Exhibit A and Exhibit B, if you will.

Exhibit A: Sherry's Santa Fe home, from Design*Sponge Exhibit B: Eliza Jane Curtis' home in Buenos Aires (also from D*S)

I recommend clicking on the links to read and see more of these fabulous homes. Eliza's dining room/courtyard is seriously to die for. What do you guys think? Do you have two competing styles?