Paint colors

One of the most subjective aspects of design, based on opinion and taste, and not at all on empirical reasoning. Couple that with the fact that finishes are often chosen in places where the light that will actually reflect on them in their final built environment is not rendered in the same way, i.e. we're pickin' 'em in our office under fluorescent lighting.

For what it's worth, paint colors by a particular manufacturer on the screen are searchable here.

Everything we need to know about drywall.

US Gypsum Association website.

Some shaftwall details from Georgia Pacific.

Gypsum board product details from Certainteed.

IIC ratings

Impact insulation class (IIC) ratings are required to be 50 (45 if field tested).

These are not enforced by local jurisdictions, at least not lately, but they may become popular among the litigious crowd.

Hard surfaces: Use underlayment under tile/hardwood.

Bare concrete (stained) while hip is a tough surface to clad to meet IIC.

Soft vinyl and carpeting approach 50 IIC plus.

Links:

How resilient channels absorb sound waves. Resilient channels lose their effectiveness when they are "shorted out".

IIC definition. Shows axon sketches of different material configurations.

Sound deadening materials. And techniques, too.