It's part of the fun of quilting that just like in a Bob Ross painting, it's our happy place and we can do what we want. Sometimes we want to focus on block designs, and sometimes we want to focus on fabric. While I often plan out a quilt to the tiniest details, sometimes I let it grow and change and the end product is something I am happy with, but didn't start out that way.
So the answer is yes, you can make it about the background anyway you want. You can space it as much or as little as you want. You can even use the fabric whole and applique or otherwise build the houses with embellishments.