If the carpet can't be taken out, you may want to try to score a large, chic area in a contrasting color to minimize or "update" the look of the maroon carpet. Preferably something much lighter, and the maroom will reced into the background. Eco-options would include jute, wool (if you're not a vegan), bamboo, organic cotton, felt. And of course, second-hand styles are both planet and wallet-friendly. Craigslist is a great source (I use Listpic.com to look at all the images at once, it's a real time saver). For new and fairly inexpensive rugs you could try Vivaterra.com. Good luck! Fabulously Green

that seems pretty expensive....

Try a floor cloth. Google for info.

barefooted? hahaha. I wonder if htose tiles aare useless or what. iikea is cheap but the shag i want snt. for the 200 i could add 50 an dget the sink i want

Flor tiles might work. You can find them at Target these days, and if they don't work, you can return them ;) In my first apartment--it was an efficiency, so just one big room--there was this horrible long, gold shag left over from the 70's. It was FILTHY! My feet actually got dirty from it if I went barefooted. Before I could afford to replace it--code for rent increase--I borrowed a very large oriental rug to cover it. It worked great. Maybe a trip to Ikea would be helpful. They have inexpensive big rugs. Good luck! And post pics!!!

it's pretty thin, really unsubstantial.

How thick it the carpeting? Low, industrial type? Berber? Plush?