Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

This Designer's Colorful Forever Home Is Filled with Collected Treasures

This Designer's Colorful Forever Home Is Filled with Collected Treasures

Her adventurous spirit shines through in every room!

Lucy loves color. And travel. And action. In fact, Minneapolis designer Lucy Penfield does not easily sit still. Depending on the season, she might be hiking in the Superior National Forest, playing pond hockey with her two grown daughters, or plotting her next weekend getaway. So when it came time for Lucy and her husband, David, to build their forever house, Lucy drew on their many adventures to map out a vibrant design in the exuberant color combos she favors.



Lucy always knew her dream house would be outfitted in vivid hues, but it wasn't until relatively recently that she decided on Cape Dutch-style architecture to frame it. "When I visited my daughter, who was studying in South Africa, I fell in love with the understated, serene setting of the wine country," she says. The architectural style (noted for whitewashed walls and symmetrical arched gables) and Lucy's neutral furniture provided "a quiet backdrop that sets the scene for the fun," she says. "It's like desert sand that lets the cactus blooms pop." With the crisp white, sand, and black base in place, Lucy says, "the color palette unfolded like opening a wrapped present. All my textiles, pillows, and found objects tumbled out."



Like the rest of their Wayzata, MN, home, Lucy and David's kitchen has multiple inspirations. The soapstone counters remind Lucy of the agates she used to hunt near her great-grandpa’s cabin. The green tiles echo pottery spotted in both Morocco and Mexico; they also speak to Lucy's practical side: "I found these hand-glazed Mexican tiles for $6 a square foot." Cutout handles further simplify the sleek fronts of the larch wood cabinets.



The rooms weave together teal, green, earthy rust, and yellow, representing visits to Minnesota's North Shore, Arizona, South America, and beyond. "When I’m on a trip, I buy not always knowing where things will go, but knowing I will use them someday either in a client's project or at home," she says. In this house, Lucy was finally able to pull all those collected pieces together into a kind of three-dimensional scrapbook of her life story.

Her art, the vintage furniture, the baubles she displays on stacks of books, and yes, even the architecture, all have a story and remind her of a place visited or a time gone by. "We know this style isn’t for everyone, but it's authentically us," Lucy says, underscoring her belief that home should be a reflection of the people who live there.

The exterior establishes Lucy's palette and love of far-flung influences. The ornate gables, a design she picked up in South Africa, reappear inside, as does the scheme of white, black, and beige.



The neutral colors support layers of styles and eras, like the living room's balance of Moroccan fabrics with framed Pop Art. The clean lines of the wood-burning stove make it more modern than rustic.



Lucy turned bedspreads from India into draperies for the dining room, where a simple Parsons table accommodates the Penfields' frequent taco parties and happy hours. Lucy pulls in more chairs as needed: "I like to mix old classics with new finds," she says.



Mimicking the exterior Cape Dutch gables, an alcove in the master bath surrounds a soaking tub. Water-resistant banana leaf wallpaper and the stool's faux animal-print upholstery channel a tropical vibe. Heated porcelain tiles are a welcome comfort during harsh Minnesota winters.



In the guest bedroom, Lucy flipped her color story to deep teal walls (Slate Teal 2058-20 from Benjamin Moore) behind crisp white furnishings. Above the headboard, Lucy hung a foldout party invitation. "I love a mix of high and low art," she says.



"Mudrooms and laundry spaces are used so frequently that I don't think of them as castaways," Lucy says. Palm frond wallpaper and leafy plants turn the laundry room, complete with potting bench, into a breezy getaway. There's even a "puppy den" for Winnie and Pooh Bear. Woven shades provide privacy; uncovered transom panes let in constant light.



The kitchen's breakfast area and the mudroom, which is tied to the neighboring laundry room with vintage globe lights and terra-cotta floor tiles, also nod to the exterior gables. Painted black and sporting hefty leather-and-brass handles, the twin storage armoires have the finished feeling of furniture. "I've never had a mudroom, so I thought, We’re stepping this up. I want to be happy when we come in the back door," Lucy says.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
×