Twelve years ago we painted our living room, entry, and dining room with Ralph Lauren's River Rock paint. It has a very fine granules which give the walls a fine sandpaper texture that is really wonderful. I have found the surface easy to clean with a magic eraser (sponge) and when necessary I've done the occasional small touch-up with a jar of the leftover paints that I store under my bathroom sink. I did a quick check online to see if these paints are still available and discovered they are, but also found a lot of threads with folks complaining how difficult it was to use this paint. I do recall it looked blotchy with the first coat, but looked fine after the second coat, so we really didn't have any problems. (We used a very deep taupe for the living room and a soft dove for the entry and dining room and both worked equally well for us.) I wouldn't recommend Ralph Lauren Suede, which is similar in texture. We tried that for our den and later discovered every time we brushed against the walls it left a white mark and any attempt at touch-ups simply wouldn't blend in properly. For some reason the River Rock doesn't have this problem. (We ended up repainting that room six months later with an ICI Dulux paint that was fabulous - nice, thick and rich in pigment - could almost get away with just one coat even in their deepest colors, including red and navy!)

rufinorox- They are actually Whirlpool appliances! I would have preferred Kitchen Aid or Frigidaire, but the builder (it's a new build) doesn't offer. Thanks! jsweenc- I figured out that I am fine choosing as things go along. Choosing floors, having those down, choosing what comes next, having that in.... But all at once on small samples kicked my butt!!! But, we're happy! Thanks!

I would say it depends on the quality of your paint. BM Aura has a new matte finish for kitchens and baths, so if you're after a velvety flat look, you can still get it even in greasy, humid areas. In general, I use eggshell for living areas and bedrooms and pearl or satin in kitchens and baths with satin or semigloss for all trim. But, I live in an older home with some visible drywall seams, nail pops, and miscellaneous "wall boogers". If you have perfect walls and trim, you can get away with more sheen if you want. Flat is good if you know you're going to have to touch up paint frequently or for ceilings.

I prefer grays with blue undertones, and I think your walls are beautiful. But relax, because I’ve found that the visions in my head and real life never align perfectly and if you expect them to, you will never be satisfied. Enjoy building your home together and see how it all comes together. My husband and I have been decorating our first home together and we’ve had quite a few arguments because our tastes are so different. If your boyfriend loves the colors, try them for a little while. You do have a beautiful home from what I can see!