If you want to highlight the staircase wall then your could use earthy colours such as a yellow ochre! The wall could be enhanced even more by using suitable frames and making a good collage composition for all the photos that you have (I can see many lying on the dining table). This colour would match well with wooden furnitures

I would advice you to go for all white and then have coloured art and accessories on the wall that you wished to have as accent wall. This way you won't be struck with one colour till your next repainting job. You will also have the liberty to change the colour pallet depending on your mood and season with just changing a few things like paintings ,cushion covers etc. involving very little cost and efforts.

Trick is not to choose bright white or standard white but something with a tinge of yellow or green. Cotton wool colour L104 by Asian is a great example we have used time and again. Most emulsions come in matt, including the most economical ones such as Asian Tractor and Apcolite. Don't let the price of a paint fool you.

Hi Tanu, Pl share some pic as well which will help me to suggest you. Regards, Sujoy