Lucy Penfield has been practicing yoga since 1991—Hatha Yoga is her favorite type of practice because it helps her to “center her crazy energy.” She is also a mom, wife, business owner, and something of a celebrity here in Minnesota — and certainly elsewhere — although she’s much too humble to let on or admit it. She is well regarded, valued, and admired as a business leader and visionary. I’ve been a Lucy fan for quite some time, so when I saw her yoga mat order come through our system — I had something of a fangirl sized stroke.
Lucy’s work in Interior Design has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Florida Design, Artful Living, HGTV Magazine, Midwest Home, Mpls St. Paul Magazine and about a gagillion others.
Her love of color and interesting textile combinations are elements of her signature style… and it’s nummy, wonderful, and inspiring. When I was embarrassing myself a little with my admiration and love for her work — she very humbly said — I love having a team that is known for being collaborative, interactive — designing for people’s dreams and bringing those dreams to reality.
I reached out to Lucy several months ago and asked her if she would like to be our first Guest Art Director — willing to help me craft designs that appeal to her atheistic, tone, and style. To my absolute delight, Lucy was willing and excited to collaborate! Together we’ve created six Lucy Penfield designs — that are featured in our Compassion Collection.
A portion of proceeds from the sale of each design from The Lucy Collection will benefit Design for a Difference and their collaboration with The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) two non-profit organizations important to Lucy and her team at Lucy Interior Design.
Design for a Difference is the first-ever community based, design-driven movement that makes over much needed spaces at local charities in the U.S. and Canada. Non-profit organizations that receive these deserving makeovers serve a variety of worthwhile causes that impact people from all walks of life. The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) exists to permanently close the achievement gap and end generational poverty in North Minneapolis. Together with their partner organizations, NAZ is walking side by side with low-income families as they put their children on a path to college. NAZ has a game-changing approach that is closing the achievement gap. NAZ’s wraparound framework effectively supports low-income children of color so that they will graduate from high school prepared for college.
The Lucy Penfield Collection at Big Raven Yoga was a beautiful collaboration— several of the designs have Lucy’s hand-drawn doodles and others were created from our interpretation of her sketches. Lucy loves color, energy, action, and helping others achieve their dreams—this compassion collection is a perfect reflection of all of that love.
I'm thrilled to be working with my beautiful friends at Big Raven Yoga. I hope you love what we've designed for you.
Here are 25 More Super-Duper interesting and cool things about Lucy!!
- Lucy loves Reggae music.
- And the vocal stylings of Carly Simon
- Lucy is a lifetime Minnesotan
- Her favorite book is the spiral bound Voyager Outward Bound book of quotations that she’s had on her bedside table since 1974.
- Her favorite treat is really decadent chocolate like Molton Chocolate Cake (me too… me too!).
- Three foods that are a hard-pass-yuck for Lucy are Cilantro, Mayonnaise, and Steak.
- That said, she’s willing to have seconds on salty french fires, potato chips, and popcorn (I like this theme)
- Lucy is a tea-please kind of gal — English Breakfast is the best.
- Lucy’s business, Lucy Interior Design is a Boutique Design Studio. What makes Lucy’s team unique is they are really good listeners. They craft an experience that evolves and blends the vision of their clients in the design journey.
- Lucy says it gets really exciting when something no one expected or anticipated unfolds.
- She says that part of her work is invigorating and exciting!
- Lucy shared that it gives her such great joy to create beauty — in her words it “fills her tank.”
- Lucy’s celebrity crush is understandably Robert Redford.
- Lucy’s friends describe her as Energetic, Full of Drama, Full of Joy, Full of Energy, Hyper & Alert. (I love all of those descriptions!!)
- Lucy describes herself as something of a spitfire or pistol.
- Lucy has really loved practicing yoga at home and loves being able to catch a class anytime.
- That said, she loves her community of yogi’s at The Whispering Cave.
- Lucy’s favorite yoga pose is down dog — she loves breathing, stretching, and being restful in this very active posture.
- Lucy’s least favorite pose is Reverse Prayer Pose — Paschim Namaskarasana — that is a tricky one especially when your shoulders are tight.
- One of Lucy’s favorite projects from this past year was collaborating with her team on their Design for a Difference charitable makeover for the FOUND IT—ESTATE STORE.
- Lucy said it was such a joy to makeover one room at a time and transform lives by making their working spaces beautiful, functional, and integrative for their work.
- Lucy is married to her sweetheart—a real gentleman whom she loves completely.
- Lucy loves being a bonus mom to her two adult daughters — they make the world a better place just by being in it.
- Lucy also loves Winnie and Pooh Bear—her super fluffy-super awesome pups!
- Lucy has high hopes for the future—she is looking forward to peace, love, and positive energy that allows us to see hope and goodness.
You can see more of Lucy's design work by visiting her Website or follow her on Instagram.