As I sit here in the height of dogwood season, there’s a feeling that at last, spring is bursting forth! For some of us, the prolonged winter created a deep yearning for warmer weather and all that comes with it…dreamy afternoons of dappled sunshine, sleeveless dresses topped with straw hats and dining al fresco on the deck.

This is one of my favorite times of year as we shed the winter layers and embrace fresh trends for the coming season. It’s a time for renewal and reorganization, and you can feel the energy in the air, from the natural harbingers my family discovered on a recent hike of hyacinth, quince, hellebore and tulips—all beginning to bloom full of life.

We can start making changes now by discovering and embracing current trends in spring fashion, food and home that breathe new zest into our lifestyles so that when the sun does fully shine consistently, we’re more than ready to swing into spring!

ULTRA VIOLET

Lavender is such a soothing color that immediately makes one calm and relaxed, and it also happens to be Pantone’s color of the year. Add this beautiful hue to your home or wardrobe through a throw, a work of art or a scarf to add a warmth and softness to your style. 

EMBRACE THE NATURAL

If you love outdoorsy and earthy elements, then you’ll lean naturally toward this movement that embraces stone, granite, wood and exposed rock in its natural textures—think anything from countertops to vases, bowls to coasters.

TASTE TREAT

On-trend food ingredients like kale, quinoa, chickpea and sweet potato are super tasty, but sometimes time-consuming to cook. Look no further than Well Yes! soups for a way to eat these nutritious ingredients ready-made for either a quick fix on-the-go or for a side dish in a snap. 

For quinoa: Black Bean with Red Quinoa Soup

For kale: Minestrone with Kale Soup

For chickpea: Chickpea and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

For sweet potato: Sweet Potato Corn Chowder Soup

MARKET FLOWERS

Make a spring bouquet of flowers with blooms that perhaps are unique to you. I recently attended the Potomac Flower Show with floral designer Hermon Black of HBfiori, and she walked me through some popular petals—some new, some familiar--including butterfly ranunculus, Scabiosa, Veronica, peonies, anemones and variegated sweet peas that smelled so divine you thought you were in a candy store! Some of these flowers you’ll be able to find at the grocery store and local florist.

SHINY BRASS

I recently swapped my black metal desk lamp that I’d honestly outgrown for a sleek brushed brass one as brass accents and accessories are here to stay, a trend that began in the fall and is continuing through this season. It’s a warm-hued metal that adds a golden glow to any corner before you even turn it on.

LEGUMES & GRASSES

Lentils and other legumes like jicama and barley from the grass family add enticing textures to the spring menu. Well Yes! offers several soups that beautifully use these ingredients that some of us find otherwise tricky to incorporate from scratch including Hearty Lentil with Vegetables, Braised Beef & Black Barley Soup and Hearty Tomato with Toasted Barley Soup with red peppers & garlic. I love the lentil with veggies, which I’ll take out for a lunch date on the deck with the dog the first chance I get!

SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP

Refresh with a gust from the arid West and embrace some Southwestern themes, whether a cacti terrarium, potted succulents or fun, animal motifs. 

PETAL PRINTS

Accessories with floral prints are definitely adding a punch of petal power to both fashion and home décor, bringing the outdoors refreshingly inside via festive prints both retro and botanical-- only minus the pollen!

For more information visit www.WellYesFoods.com

This post was sponsored by Well Yes!