The approaching New Year might have you thinking about making some changes.

And that could include the decorations in and around your home, garage or cabin. We’re not talking about holiday decorations, either.

While some people are content with just repainting the walls in their living room, some, such as Mankato resident Elda Nussmeier, have taken their interior decorating desires beyond the next level.

Nussmeier used her love for watermelons to transform her cabin on Lake Washington into a pink and green palette. It all started when she received a papier-mâché watermelon from her sister as a housewarming gift in 1991.

Nussmeier had just moved to Minnesota from southern Indiana. It was then that she already started to make plans for some exciting decorating.

“I would hope to some day have a lake house to have a watermelon cabin,” said Nussmeier.

Her hope turned into a reality when she renovated her cabin from a northern woods theme into a full-fledged watermelon haven.

Even outside the cabin there is a tree stump that has been carved into a watermelon.

“We found a fellow from Owatonna who carved a watermelon shaped tree we have close by the dock painted the colors of (a) watermelon,” said Nussmeier.

The theme continues inside the cabin with lime green walls in the main living space and pink walls in the two bedrooms. The furniture and accessories are black, pink, green and red to match the colors of a watermelon as well. From watermelon silverware to a melon scoop to watermelon towels, it’s exactly what Nussmeier had dreamed of.

“It’s a happy place for us,” Nussmeier said. “We have taken this thing to the Nth degree.”

But not everyone has to take their decorating dreams as far as she did to enjoy it.

Go green!

Linda Leech, an academic advisor at Minnesota State University, has one room in her house that reflects a meaningful theme to her and her family.

As a birthday present for her husband, Leech’s three children painted the inside of the garage green. If that doesn’t catch your eye, the large Green Bay Packer “G” that is painted on the wall will. It is the first thing you see when you open up their double garage door in Mankato.