Staying in Annamaria's apartment was a pleasure, as it was comfortable and it allowed us to experience Murano both during the day and at night (when it's very quiet).
Annamaria kindly left a couple of goodies (muffins, juices, etc ) for us to eat and drink on the first morning.
Getting to and from the main sights in Venice (by vaporetto) is simple
and pleaseant (on good weather), but it can take a while (especially at night and during late evening, when there are less boat lines operating).
My recommendation would be to spend at least several days in Venice (so that you're not always in a rush, trying to cram too much in too short time), in which case basing yourself in Annamaria's apartment in Murano is an excelent choice. (From Murano, it's also easy to visit other nice islands, such as Burano and Torcello.)