It should work if you use two coats of the lighter color. They should completely cover the previous color. But take a step back before you do anything. Maroon is a dark color, you knew that going in. It's possible that once you finish painting with the original color and get everything back in place, and the lights on, pictures on the walls, etc., it will look like what you envisioned. But the starkness of one coat of paint in an empty room can be off-putting.

Next, going two shades lighter may not give you what you want. Depending on what brand of paint you are using and what color strip you are working from, two colors up the strip may have a different undertone than you were expecting. It could be a strange pink that you were not expecting.

What is the brand and color of paint you used?

Also it can take a few days for the color to settle down and completely dry. It can take up to a week to thoroughly dry and the various pigments dry at different rates, so it can go thru changes. The true color may be more subtle and likeable than you think right after it goes up. How many times Ive freaked out and re-done a room before I learned this!

Hold off!!!! If you're anything like me you're just not use to the immediate change. I would wait 2-3 weeks before painting again. The color may grow on you.

When I redid my bathroom I went from burnt orange color to light gray. The gray looked like primer. I HATED it... But slowly overtime the color grew on me, and the bathroom got remodeled, so it all came together.. But I did the same thing you did - painted and freaked. I almost went to the paint store to get something a couple shades darker but my husband told me to wait.

Also, my living room area is a very pale yellow color. My house had faux ugly brown trim and I replaced it with white trim, and painted all the doors. As soon as the new trim went in, I HATED the light yellow wall color. I thought it clashed with white.. Well I waited, and months later the color grew on me.. Now I love it...

Give it some time. Seriously.

Yeah, wait it out. The color may be too dark, but you might also get used to it. And it will be just fine. It can take paint color awhile to settle.