Cap'n, we have a rainbow of beige in our house and the Mansfield Beech w/ gold grills blends perfectly with "Antique White" and natural oak bookcases.
Couldn't be happier w/ my QS8 surrounds - in every way. Why not order samples of 6 finishes for $60, refundable? Between the std and custom finishes something has to look damn near perfect for your decor. Painting $470 surrounds doesn't sound good to me. The paint alone would cost you a few bucks, eh?