Always start with the flooring. Make sure you don’t choose too many different materials, this makes it hard to maintain. Choose darker colors for areas expecting activity and staining. Waterproof materials in certain areas saves a world of seepage and damage to the walls and other parts of the floor.
Don’t try to match colors when you’re working with a room. Instead, work with a palette to bring more life into the room. Contrasting colors can work too, if designed with subtlety and taste. A sober base tone can be accentuated with the right pop of color.
If you’re trying to give a space a natural, breathy feel, follow the 3/3 rule. All the darkest colors and elements are closest to the ground up to 1/3rd the room height. Followed by the middle third bearing mild earthy tones of wood an plant life. The top third bears clear, light sky tones to allow breathing space above eye level.