Wishlist Wednesday - A Few Updates

Besides the two large projects I'd like to take on in the house (updating the kitchen, new decks), there are a few small things I'd like to take care of as well. So my wish today is to update a few of the little things.

The first update I would like to do - replace the carpet in the family room. This is the last carpet in the house that we need to replace from the previous owners. Although it is a newer rug than the others we have replaced, it still has some stains that we can't get out and looks quite worn out. Plus, the previous owners had pets - and the damage they did in the other rooms was NASTY, so I can only imagine what lies underneath this rug. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous. The sooner we can get rid of it, the better.
The second update is quick and easy - but surprisingly, not cheap! The current handle of our front door is gold. I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE all things gold (and yes, that includes gold jewelry). I would love to replace it with something simple in nickle/stainless/silver. Every time we go to Home Depot I drool over their selection - but the ones I like range from $160 to $250.
We have a contractor coming out on Saturday to give us an estimate on replacing our decks - I have a feeling once he gives us a number, the $160 door handle won't seem that bad!