It will never be light. Embrace the "basement recording studio" motif and try to make it cozy. Can you hang art on the walls? Something to break up all that blue.

I think it would be easy enough to hang things on the walls without worrying about holes.
Putting book cases up could break up some of the monotony of the color as well.

I'd have fun with home entertainment equipment, speakers, tv, etc., if my walls were carpeted.

velcro- could be your new best friend.

some lighter curtains could feel nice? embrace it if you can't change it- make sure you have plenty of light sources if natural light are hard to find. Overhead, lower lights, and mood lighting can be key here...

Oh no! This looks claustrophobic. Two tips: 1) White furniture. 2) A large mirror behind a lamp.

fabric panels on top of the carpet?

This is a really tough one. I assume that, since you're moving this month, the decision has been made and you are otherwise happy with the space. However, is this apartment up to code as a residence?

I'm under the impression that some sound-proofing material can be really flammable, so I would check what is behind that carpet before I moved in and make sure this formerly commercial space is suitable for living in.

As for brightening it up, I suppose you could pin some fabric hangings on the walls but I honestly don't think that would help. I really hate to say this as I'm sure it's not the kind of feedback you're looking for, but even if you have to live there for a short time, I would find else ASAP if 'brightness' is important to you.

Honestly, if the landlord won't take the rug down. Walk away.
Justify it with allergies, etc. Decorating would be low on my concerns with all of the carpeting that's visible in those pictures.
There is always a reason a place is priced as a "steal." It's never gonna be in a tenant's good interest though.

Velcro white fabric to the walls. You can try white canvas (get it by the bolt at Dharma Fabrics or similar for the cheapest price) for an interesting texture, or get any other light fabric you prefer.

But I agree with the other commenters: if you have any kind of allergies or if you really need your living space to be bright, the cost savings is not worth the unpleasantness of actually living there.

Your regular vacuuming routine will be interesting...

On the bright side, I bet the place has great sound insulation - you'll never have to hear your neighbor's music.

Do you need all of that space?

It was used as a recording studio YEARS ago? So what is the purpose of keeping the carpet on the walls...? I would ask the landlord if you could remove the carpet from the walls..

Otherwise, white furniture. ALL white!

I would convince my brain it's grass cloth wallpaper and add a lot of artwork, mirrors, plants, and lighting. If you layer rugs and add draperies and pillows, I think you could have a really textured and cozy space. I'd find the lack of natural light more challenging.

Then I would throw a nice loud party and revel in the fact that your neighbors won't be bothered.

My rental has low ceilings, ugly carpeting and very little natural light. I've learned not to fight against the cave-like feel of the space but rather embrace it. Treat the dark blue as a backdrop to lots of great art. The more the better, and don't forget to add some light-bouncing mirrors as well. Put up luxurious draperies where you can and layer rugs on the floor (really cool, eye-catching ones to distract from the low ceiling). I agree with the notion of putting fabric up on the walls, but I would suggest picking one wall as an accent and choosing a bold fabric for a wallpaper effect.

My rental has low ceilings, ugly carpeting and very little natural light. I've learned not to fight against the cave-like feel of the space but rather embrace it. Treat the dark blue as a backdrop to lots of great art. The more the better, and don't forget to add some light-bouncing mirrors as well. Put up luxurious draperies where you can and layer rugs on the floor (really cool, eye-catching ones to distract from the low ceiling). I agree with the notion of putting fabric up on the walls, but I would suggest picking one wall as an accent and choosing a bold fabric for a wallpaper effect.

I'd cover the walls with floor to ceiling curtains. This can look really glamorous if done right. You might have to do a bit of searching to keep it within your budget, but, to me, it would be worth it.

I honestly don't think it's bad at all. There are actually a lot more windows than I would expect for a basement, and it looks very clean. Some of us don't have the option of turning down a good deal because of decorating dilemmas... so you just have to get creative. =)

I would get some light colored curtains, a light colored rug, etc... Play off the white on the ceiling. I really think there is a lot you could do here.

Go with art on the walls, something big and bold. Since the ceiling looks barely 8ft high, I'd light the room with lots of table and floor lamps, as they'll direct your eyes down, rather than up. You almost need to treat the space like an open loft (but with lower ceilings). Divide the room into designated areas with furniture. Look at rooms here on AT that are blue and get ideas.

Although the room looks professionally done, and musicians hate to have their stuff get moldy, I'll still have the place checked out by a professional.

I've worked at several art venues that have carpeted walls. If you have a local art department around, it could be a great excuse to collect drawings, which will pin up easy as pie with dressmaker's pins. Or you could go to a discount store and get a pile of curtains and hand those either with pins or simple rods on the walls. Depending on the fabric, it could look very luxe. Some bamboo area "rugs" might be nice on the floor to further break up the texture. Good luck!

I'd be very concerned about air quality -- allergens and off-gassing of toxins. Fire retardant and glues used in industrial carpet like that are not good to inhale, and they don't go away after a few years, they stay with the material forever. So for health reasons, I would stay away from this place.

I would try to see if it can be taken down. Carpet fibers tend to trap a lot of dust and if it's a basement apartment, I would be concerned with allergies. Also, do you know if the basement is devoid of moisture issues? I ask because this reminds me of a friend who rented a basement apartment in a home (it was a duplex) and her place was so humid that she constantly had to have a dehumidifier running. Seeing the carpeted walls makes me wonder about the wall condition behind the carpet. I hope this works out for you and best of luck!

I don't understand how that guy walked away without losing his entire deposit. I'm with everyone who said to get your landlord to remove it. It's very possibly a health hazard and maybe even a fire hazard. Don't try to live with it... that carpet might work for some obsessive sound guy, but it's going to be impossible to keep clean. (If you keep it, you'll have to vacuum EVERYTHING.)

I would walk away. Whatever money your saving will go into making that place look decent - and everything you purchase will NOT go with whatever space you move into next. Unless the landlord will remove all the carpeting (walls and floors), I would leave.

This place would scare me a little. This is our second rental house with a "wet basement". We run a dehumidifier all the time down there and the walls are wet in places when it rains. I would be really afraid of what is behind all that carpet. In the second photo along the baseboard heat it looks like rust.

I know all about needing to find a good deal on rent. I would start saving and get out after your lease is up. It's hard to walk away with all the money you have put into it just signing the lease. And I'm sure since the landlord didn't take the carpet down before you signed, he's not going to want to do it now that he has a tenant in place. It will be nothing but a stressful fight.

The one good thing is you don't have to worry about how much stuff you hang! And I would take full advantage of that. The bigger the pieces the better. And I agree with the other posters about white furniture. Good luck and I hope you don't have any problems!

On a side note...if you have good furniture that you can't bare to have ruined, I would suggest putting something under it to keep it slightly elevated just in case.

If you can't take down the carpet then embrace it.
Can you paint, dye or stain the carpet to add pattern??

I would use a product called Vecco. Vecco allows you to paint patterns onto carpets and rugs.
http://www.veccostudio.com/Home.aspx

I usually try not to comment with something like "don't rent it" when it sounds like you have already committed, but this sounds potentially awful. Even if you don't currently suffer from allergies, sometimes all you need is a trigger to push you over the edge (and into accompanying other problems like asthma) and all that carpeting - off gassing and dust - in a basement no less, where one must always be on the look out for moisture, concerns me greatly. I would push hard to have it removed, but I can see it was very thoroughly installed with outlets inset and baseboards. I don't want to fear monger, but sometimes a great deal is the worst deal around.

Mirrors can always help lighten a space if you place them where they reflect light. Plus you can decorate them to look like windows! Other than that, I would suggest sticking to light colored furniture. The all-white decor seems to be a big trend right now and could really pop against your blue walls.

But if you don't want to do that, I would embrace the recording studio feel and decorate with music related pieces. You could modge podge music sheets to a bookcase or other furniture.

succulents in small white pots,small mirrors,white clean lines simple sofa,white small dining table,light natural wood chairs/coffee table/sofa legs/shelves with some bright colorful art or books covers,modern simple bright color light over the dining ,small TV(if you use one),and always smile .wish you good luck with your new place .If you cannot afford any of the above I've mentioned just keep everything clean and smile that is enough to make a happy bright place.

Interesting... I think what bothers me most is the white trim, conduit, heaters and outlets. Perhaps if these elements weren't as pronounced it would look a little less strange.

Once you get all your belongings in place you won't notice it as much. Hopefully you can hang art on the walls, have lots of lamps and many rugs.

I think the carpet is much more of an eyesore than the walls. Chambre is in... so, I would embrase it unless you can hang drywall–which is a cheap alternative.

By carpet i mean the brown carpet on the floors

Have to agree with @homebody. Way too many health and safety issues.

Leave it, it's not bad, it's just different.. I would just go about funishing it. It actually looks very tailored.

It looks like an office -- my office to be precise! I love the idea of tacking white fabric to the walls -- can't wait to see what you wind up doing. This will be a great before and after!

I've got an idea: MOVE! Just joking. Best of luck:)
-Anne
www.hammer-and-heels.com

Avoid cats and animal and vacuum, it's not THAT bad. Move in your stuff and adjust slowly.

It could be cool with the right decor (I think white would be a good decision if you're buying any new furniture.)

But all I could think was that you'll be warm all winter without a fortune in heating bills and maybe you'll never hear your neighbors or vice, versa!

Always look on the bright side!

She asked for ideas on how to decorate the space. She did not ask for opinions on whether the cost and space was worth it. And I'm sure that if the landlord is renting this place it is up to code.

I don't think it is such a bad looking space. One of the earlier posters had a great idea -- go with "cozy." The brown carpet on the floors is not all that attractive, so I'd put down an area rug even though it seems the last thing this place needs is more rugs!

I also think the person who said to lighten it up with white furniture is on the wrong track. Go with the flow: darker woods and colors with a slightly rustic or industrial vibe will fit right in. Maybe something metallic and/or glass could bring in needed contrast to all the soft, dark stuff. With a base of darker greys and browns you can bring in color through accessories: bright olive, teal, cream, orangey-red.

Echo what everyone (constructive) said about lots of art. Also, create "pools of light" around your art with plug-in (not hardwired) picture lights. IKEA has a decent selection, and who'd see screw holes with all that carpet?

Hanging curtains everywhere could also be cool (and also a fire hazard).

I don't think it would be too bad to live with this if you are happy with everything else, BUT I'm skeptical that it's an approved rental, and THAT would bother me. I think it would bother me enough to investigate. If it's not authorized, your landlord might have to bring it into compliance, and you might be better off moving elsewhere. (Your deposit would probably have to be refunded, too.) Awkward, though.

I guess you're pretty much relegated to buying hangers and whatnot from office supply stores since the walls look like giant cubicle partitions.

Don't panic, invest in velcro. Hook and loop everything and anything you want over that carpeting. It could look very nice that apt. Geometric shapes are in right now. Have fun with it.

On my monitor the pics look like chocolate brown walls and ivory trim. Either way, you've apparently committed yourselves; ignore the naysayers; treat it as an adventure...yes, light colorful furniture. Large, colorful artwork even if you want do do blank canvases and splashes of paint. There have recently been Small Cool rooms with dark walls. Yes, have fun with it. Rely more on floor and table lamps for lighting and or see if you can have dimmer switches put in for any overhead lighting. This could be very interesting. If you have a cat . ..hmmmm! might be the biggest scratching post!

This could be fun! I would go with felt. Very hip. Really bright colored mod flowers made of felt on the walls! I would put then in horizontal and vertical patterns rather than free form, so they relate to the white trim. Felt throw pillows. Have fun making them yourself. White furniture. Cool colored lights. Just make it groovy.

This could be fun: Stick Velcro, (the hook side) to all your "stuff" (iPad, iPod, calculator, keys, sunglasses case, hairbrush, lip balm etc. etc.) and use the carpet as vertical organization. If you use enough Velcro, you could just toss stuff on the walls and it will stick! You might be on to something: The carpeted Velcro wall could be new the chalkboard paint wall ;-)

Ikea has a bunch of curtain panels that have dark grey in them: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/living_room/10702/

Have fun!

Just chiming in again about the art on the walls and the fabric panels. I think experimenting with pale and/or bright fabric panels would be fascinating in a space like this. I also agree that you shouldn't fight the darkness too much -- go for cozy -- but I think fabric could give this place some boho chic.

And don't freak out too much about the health stuff unless one of you has asthma difficulties (which I'm sure you'd have thought of already.) I'm sure it's fine.

1. Fabric on the Walls
2. Massive paintings or mirrors
Or, the most drastic of them all if you're desperate:
3. Measure and cut pieces of wood to the shape of the walls, paint them, and put them against the carpeting?
I'm sure you'll figure it out :)

At the very least,have the whole place steam cleaned before you move in! I think Lizzyscott had a great idea,sheets of plywood painted white wouldnt be to expensive and you can remove them when you leave.I lived in worse when I was young!:)

I didn't read all the comments, but I think several have suggested fabric panels. Bed sheets might be a solution. It would certainly be cheap enough if you could find some nice print ones on sale. You could hang them directly on the carpet or put up some kind of wooden frames with paper or fabric panels. You could move these around, even.

Many of the previous comments are pretty good. I would also add a few light rugs on the floor, nice pendant lamps and art work.. Some plants, maybe?. I think it can actually work.

I think this is a unique, super-cool space. Count me among those who encourage you to ignore the naysayers and treat this like an adventure. If for some reason things get bad (I mean sicky or dampy bad), then get out and at least you'll have a great story to tell.

There are so many great ideas that others have given, I won't even add mine.

I'm betting that there is a lot of mold behind that carpet. I think that they sell home mold kits at places like Home Depot or Lowes. I'd check that place out before moving in.

Replace the brown carpet with a pale cream carpet, then embrace the nautical look with whites, creams, pale earth tones, driftwood and accents in aqua.

Seriously, AT commenters are a bunch of wet blankets. Can you paint? Paint your doors black to make your walls look more interesting in contrast. Your white trim is what makes it look so dark, but painting the trim would not be worth it. And curtains would be prohibitively expensive, even if you make them. Collect lots of cheap art and go crazy -- I think the carpet will recede into the background. If you don't have white furniture, thrift some and paint it. Put lights everywhere and it will glow.

Pretend it is a paint color and buy extra long walls. I bet some dark stained wood would look great and a light tanned leather sofa.

Good luck. Please post after photos.

Maybe a light box or two? http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/light-box-decor-105925

Sorry for being a "wet blanket," but there is nothing inside me that could ever enjoy being inside this space. The whole time I was there, I would be thinking, "There is ugly carpeting on the WALLS!!"

I once got a great deal on an over-the-garage studio. Rented it when the windows were open and it had a nice breeze blowing through. Took me only like 10 minutes after moving in to realize that it smelled like cat pee. There was no way the smell was leaving, and no way I could stay there without thinking about it ALL. THE. TIME.

So, my advice (after having made errors in rental judgment in my younger days) would be to tolerate it for the year, if you have to. But don't invest in any major fixes like custom plywood or custom curtains. That's throwing good money after bad. Live frugally and without embellishment for a year, and then get a different place.

Habitat for Humanity Restore, or many Thrift shops sell white/ light base coat paint. Roll it on. Let dry. Repeat. Buy semi gloss topcoat (see if you can get this on the hardware store shelf where discontinued paint is. Apply topcoat. Repeat. Voila ! A light reflecting, bright FRESH new home.
Cheers,
Col

Paint...what? The carpeted walls? Read the post.

Ok, no musician would be fine with mold on their walls. Around equiptment that expensive? I seriously doubt that would be an issue. I think you will be fine coming up with creative art hanging/ fabric paneling that will brighten up the walls and bring a lot of color. The more challenging problem actually is the industrial carpet on the floor. I know because I rented an apartment with similar industrial carpet in the basement. It was always cold. I recommend getting lots of throw rugs, even if carpet on carpet isn't your favorite look.

You should bring natural light bulbs and distribute it whenever you need it throughout your space. And as for the floor - get a nice big rug to cover that awful brown stuff. It's OK to put carpet on top of carpet and that's what you should do here. I think you could make this into a really chic feminine/masculine little love nest cave - get a leather sofa and an arm chair or a sectional and incorporate colour with throws, vases, etc. I know harwear stores have those chicken wire things you can hang paintings from - and those walls can stand to have some art over them too.

Stay away from wood and dark finishes, keep lines simple, add a wall of white bookcases to break up a large dark wall, I would lean a large mirror on another wall and a perhaps a big collage arrangement of art. The floor needs an area rug at least and some numeral living room furniture.

I would just embrace it! Treat the living room area like a movie theater, make your bedroom super cozy & cave like. I don't think there's really anything you could do to make it look like a well designed space out of a magazine, and since you probably won't be living there forever I would just enjoy your time in the "cave" while you've got it.

This would be a non starter for me if the landlord is not removing the carpet from the walls. There is no amount of decorating you will do to make this feel like a home and if you managed to succeed it would be at a considerable cost that could have just gone into renting a normal space. Besides allergies, dust and mold another thing to consider is smell....any smells that infiltrate that place will inevitably end up stuck in the carpeted walls and floors....dare not cook curry or anything fried while living in this place.

Tapestries, curtains, artwork, and rugs. Try lighter colors for furniture and fabrics, bright patterns too. Try mirrors opposite window walls to reflect the natural light you do have. Light and bright is key...just make sure it doesn't end up monotone. I see gold metallic accessories doing well in there. Lots of potential for that frame beside the front door!

I feel like artwork would be the key -- as many people have already said -- but finding the right kind of art/framing/hanging mechanism to work with something as unique as carpeted walls will be the challenge. I have a friend who used an art leasing consultancy in Chicago when he first moved into his place and wasn't exactly sure what type of art would work best with his walls. For a pretty affordable price you can basically test out different pieces of art for a couple months at a time until you find what works best. This is the consultancy he used: https://www.facebook.com/RevolvingCollectionsGallery -- worth a look, I'd think.

I agree with Mary BC about not making any big decorating investments -- I assume you will need to buy some stuff for the new place, and now you have the advice here to follow. But don't blow a big amount on decorating a place that is far from a forever home. Even though I think you can make this place perfectly comfortable, the carpeted walls and basement location make it pretty likely to be home for a year or two at most. You just want it to be nice enough while you are there and hopefully translate anything you purchase to your next place. Craigslist is your friend!

I might play off the carpet walls as an alternate floor. What I mean is I might nail some shoes into the wall to make it look like a floor on it's side. I might even make a fun sign that says, "Feel free to indulge in head bashing here. Our walls are equip to accommodate frustration." I'd rejoice that I wouldn't have to cover nail holes.

White furniture (especially bookcases), lots and lots of lighting. FYI dark colors can make a room look bigger sometimes. It's a myth that white makes a room look bigger.

If it were me, I would cover the walls in butcher block paper, or with inexpensive curtains from Ikea. You can use cubicle hooks or Velcro to hold it up. You can tape magazine clippings, greeting cards, artwork, etc to the paper, and maybe even get some cool wallpaper or nicer fabric for some of the walls/spaces. Good luck!

I would buy large bolts of fabric and use a staple gun to hang a new fabric wallpaper.