fresh flowers make everything better.  green things, alive things, awaken your house. {"fresh" and "alive" are key here.  im not the biggest fan of fake flowers/ferns/stuff}

"resolve" to plant more seasonal flowers outside, in pots, planters, baskets, and flowerbeds.

{Travel Webshots}

{eHow}

{Rolf Hicker Photography}

but dont forget to bring some of the life inside to enjoy - whether its from your own garden, local flower stand or picked up at the grocery store:

{Real Simple}

{Country Living}

{Country Living}

proof even "yucky" baby's breath can be pretty :)

{Country Living}

here's to a new year - and making attainable resolutions!

This is the final installment of Natalie's list of home/garden resolutions. Thank you for joining us!

Mobilian Natalie Roe is an interior designer. For custom design work, contact Roe at nattyroe@gmail.com.

4. start planning your summer garden NOW

i learned the hard way last year that we deep-southerners cant exactly follow the "plant by ____" labels on the back of seed packets.  if they say "plant after the last frost," that usually means those seeds better be snug and cozy under some soil some time during february if you really even hope to get a crop before the stifling heat of Alabama's august hits.

{Natalie Roe}

if you havent ever had your own garden, dont be intimidated.  it really isnt that difficult {if i can do it, you can definitely do it}, it saves you money, you will have beautiful produce whenever you wish, and you dont have to have a huge plot of land to do so.  use small pots arranged on a table outside or on a windowsill to grow herbs like basil, chives, mint, and cilantro.

{Dobies of Devon}

{Jennifer Roc}

hanging baskets also work nicely.

{Better Homes and Gardens}

one tomato or bell pepper plant will grow beautifully in a large pot on the ground.  things like cucmbers and zuchinni/squash might need more room to "roam" so if you dont have the horizontal space, try planting one plant in a large pot with a tomato cage around it and make sure to "direct" to the stray shoots regularly

{there are plenty of resources on the web for novice's or for green-thumb-wannabes.  Better Homes and Gardens is a helpful start}

Tune in tomorrow for the last installment of Natalie's list of home/garden resolutions.

Mobilian Natalie Roe is an interior designer. For custom design work, contact Roe at nattyroe@gmail.com.

3. breathe new life into something old

all you need is a can {or spray can} of paint.

really.

{and possibly some fabric}

hall bath when we bought our house.  see silver mirror on wall.

we redid this bathroom and changed out the mirror. 

i liked the silver mirror OK, but it just wasnt doing it for me and didnt really have a spot in our house.

mirror, meet $4 spray can of white paint:

welcome home. 

and, now that i mention it, the sconces were also a temporary quick-fix with a can of spray paint and tiny white shades a-la Lowes {until we purchase new ones}.

more examples:

{Design Sponge Online}

{Centsational Girl}

{Apartment Therapy}

{Design Sponge Online}

{for some more before::after inspirations, click HERE}

Tune in tomorrow for #4 on Natalie's list of home/garden resolutions.

Mobilian Natalie Roe is an interior designer. For custom design work, contact Roe at nattyroe@gmail.com.