I wouldn't match brands just for the sake of it. Heck, a URC RF-20 remote + blaster is $75 last I checked. Yeah, you can hide your components now too if you want.
I also encourage the separates route. Even if its an entry receiver + amp. When you pick a receiver, please choose by the feature set. Just don't think because it costs more that you are even going to need 1/10 of what it does.
If entry receiver acting as pre is ok, you can try Yamaha 663 + amp of choice, whether Emotiva, Outlaw, NAD, Rotel, Sunfire, etc. Used and refurbed are fine in my experiences.
The Yam has limited bass mgmt, and will not matrix hi def bitstreams for HT. It still wouldn't surprise me if it suited you 100% fine. The point is to just zone in on the features you need, because IMO most people don't need what a lot of these things do.
With the money saved, you can upgrade the sub, or get another one. Or room treatments. Or speaker upgrade, yada yada.
If you are interested, I will in the near future be putting up a ML Fresco-i for sale. Just waiting on the box that I ordered direct from ML, because I seemed to have lost mine.
Otherwise, if you want to ask me more specific questions, feel free to PM me. I'm decently familiar with ML gear. I use Summits for the stereo.
If you do electrostats for the HT, my warning to you is that you really must love them to do so. I LOVE them for stereo, especially as I listen to darn near 100% acoustical music, but they present some serious compromises in an HT setting, particularly if reference levels are desired for multiple viewers spread out, which happens to be what I desire for the HT. JMO.
