Home Page - Can anyone tell me how can I use a Block of:
Type: Pages, but with a different Appearance setting than pages_text_links.tpl.
I want to use an html block to display the contents of the page, not list it as a link.
Or equally useful would be able to add a localization to an html block on the home page.
This is frustrating.
No Unique HTML Blocks are allowed on the home page in the current stable release?
First I’d ask your definition of “current stable release”? The release number you are using would be helpful.
You can easily put whatever HTML you want into the Design/Site layout, General tab in the “Text displayed on the store home page” text area.
I just downloaded it a week ago, so v2.1.1(?) The key is that I want to control the output based on the localization feature.
I am essentially created different home page content based on the user’s geographical area through GeoIP redirect.
Not sure I would label 2.1 as stable! 
But that’s probably just opinion…
Unfortunately, you can’t use template variables in the method I suggested above. You will need to address this via something similar to what I stated in your other thread (using hooks and conditional statments) if you want multiple localization content.
I don’t think there’s an interface for using multiple languages in the Site layout area. But it could be that all you need to do is change the language in the admin area and then edit the HTML in that section.