If you want a nice rich brown that isn't to dark. Try Sherwin Williams Latte:

Don't do each room a different color. Use the wall color to unify the space. Get your color in the accessories. What is your style. The fireplace stays? It's rather country is that your style. Don't take down the door casings unless your style is modern.

OOOh, I do like that latte color . I'm trying to go more classic /elegant ... I think. The door casing are in ... thank you !! As for the fireplace .. I don't know. It came with the house , I like it but not sure enough to design around it . I definitely need to find another place in the room - kinda weird layout - but that's another issue (after paint ...LOL) . Thank you !!!

Do you have all your furnishings for these rooms? You need to have chosen fabrics for furniture, window treatments, and rugs. These all have colors. Choosing paint color is always last..and if it is not you are stuck trying to find things to go with the paint color of which there are thousands. If you have any of these that you will be using, show us.

From what you 've said, I think you desire a space that looks warm and luxurious. If this is your vision, here is my advice;

Use a neutral colour like cream for your living room walls. Neutral wall gives you a lot of flexibility when it comes to furnishing and accessorising. Paint your dinning same or paint the wall that is directly facing the living room lemon green, to create an accent wall.

Red accents would work but that depends on your existing furniture, window treatments and other furnishings. I need to know what you already have.
To create a warm and luxurious look, introduce some deep brown fabrics, textured area rug in brown or cream; this also depends on your already existing stuffs.

Bringing in life plants is an excellent way of introducing green colour into your home.

Yes you can paint your rooms different colours but make sure the colours flow with the overall colour scheme of the house.

Hope this helps.

Taking down door casings and down hall would definetly open up a whole new and revived area,moderizing your home if that is your style.This would open up a whole new blank canvas.If not tiles are a big issue have to go if possible and fireplace with them.A two tone colour scheme brown/beige acessorised with lime green in the from of seating,blinds or curtains,plants etc, would fit the brief.

Hi kl123 & everyone.

kl123 - I have to agree w/Barbara Griffith - paint is best chosen last. You don't have to paint it last but pick out your major pieces first & then chose the color. MUCH easier to do it that way.

If you are having trouble picturing things b/c your walls already have color, you could prime them first and that will give you a blank palette to start.

Are you buying all new furnishings too or do you already have? If you have, or found some already that you like, post pics & that will help w/more paint color suggestions.

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

I would remove the fireplace but the tiles are perfect for an Arizona home. You have a wonderful blank canvas and I bet it will be beautiful when it is done.

Thank you , I just love all the suggestions ! Really bring alot of things to light that I never really thought of before.

The tile floor has to stay due to budget , it's continuous throughout about 80% of house. But I do like the suggestion of a cream rug - that will help tone down the floor !

I tried a sample of the latte , I need to wait till mid-day lighting - but that may just be about perfect !! paint will go in this weekend or next !!

The shutters look great!!

Also look at SW 7036 Accessible Beige from their HGTV Coastal Cool collection. We have this in our bedroom on one side of the house and a hall on the other. Our living room and dining room is SW6205 Comfort Gray - it's a gray-green-blue - which we love - very livable. I suggest you invest in samples, paint poster boards and then tack them up in different spots, at different times of the day before deciding on a color. That may save you from making a costly mistake.

Let me repeat what has been said: buy your rug first, then drapes and furniture....then go select your paint. You can take the latte sample with you to choose your rug and furnishings then see if it looks right on the wall with the items you have. I painted first and never could find the rug and drapes, etc that I wanted.

I am so happy that everyone has taken the time to give me such great advise!! Thank you .

I most definitely agree - we should be choosing furniture /design first - I'm laughing cause I tried to tell my contractor/husband the same thing before I came home from the grocery store to find the living room in plastic .. LOL, bless his heart .
However,We are keeping our old furniture for 1-2 more years (despite it condition - toddlers) . I wont do a rug in the dining room - but I have a dark counter height table , that really draws your eyes away from the floor in there . If we get it painted this weekend -- I'll be sure to post pictures .

It is hard when we don't have the money to redo everything at one time but must progress as time and budget allow. We've been in our newest home about a year and a half (hopefully our last as we have retired). We've tried to keep the colors flowing throughout the entire house though not the same wall colors in every room and have been able to move accessories, art work, pillows etc from room to room as we decorate. I'm certainly not a professional in any way but I've found through the years if you keep things more neutral and pick up current trends and colors with accessories your house will always look fresh. I feel nothing dates a house more that someone that "decorates" an entire room at one time and then never touches it again. Our house is our "hobby" and we enjoy living in it. I'm certain you will enjoy yours as well. Good luck.

The new "greige" colors are the new neutrals. I would stay away from tan or brown shades because it would be too close to the tile color! The walls need to be in a light to medium-light shade due to to darknes of the tile. Try a lighter "stone" grey that has brown undertones. Sherwin Williams has a good palette of them. However, when I think I have it narrowed down, I will purchase 3 or so sample containers of those shades and paint 2x3 areas in several areas in the room to see how it looks with different lighting. When I have selected one, I usually take the swatch and the "try me paint" to Home Depot and have them color match it in Glidden. I prefer Glidden for so many reasons, but most of all for price.