Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Stain or Paint Laminate Floors?

Does anyone out there know if you can achieve desirable results by staining, painting, or faux-finishing cheap wood laminate flooring? We were on a tight budget when we installed ours, and to make matters worse, we used a light beech color in the living room which abruptly changes to a medium oak color as you enter the family room (I was unhappy with the oak color, so when it came time to do the living room, I chose the beech color which I preferred at the time). Ideally I would like it all to be the same shade, possibly mahogany? If anyone out there has any advice, I sure would appreciate it! We still are on a tight budget (5 kids) which prevents us from starting over and installing a new type of flooring.
Thanks!

Laminate flooring cannot be refinished. Nothing sticks to it.

As indicated, plastic laminate can not be refinished. If you have engineered wood flooring, depending upon thickness of veneer layer, it may be possible to sand down to bare wood, stain, and apply surface finish.