It started as an aside. Designer Lucy Penfield of Lucy Interiors was wrapping up a project in Minneapolis when her clients slid a folder across the desk. “We have something to tell you,” they said. They’d just bought a condo in Naples. Would she take it on?
She agreed instantly. As the first owners of a three-bedroom, 3.5-bath unit in Mystique at Pelican Bay, the couple handed her a blank slate. The goal: a playful, inviting retreat fit for entertaining and piling in with kids and grandkids. The challenge: They wanted it ready by January, and it was already September. “I said, ‘OK, but I’ll need you to trust me,’” Lucy recalls.
Working with Naples contractor BUILD to pull off the feat, Lucy and her team started by grounding the design in formal principles—symmetry, restrained silhouettes, neutral walls and upholstery—then layered in exuberant color and tropical notes for a kind of nouveau Palm Beach.
1 of 2
Spacecrafting Photography
mystique pelican bay penthouse seaside glam minimalism dining
Verde Home’s bamboo-and-raffia-wrapped table anchors the foyer beside Serena & Lily navy rattan chairs. Above: A triptych of oversized shells in the living room recasts a beach emblem as graphic, modern art—an example of how designer Lucy Penfield elevates coastal motifs.
2 of 2
Spacecrafting Photography
mystique pelican bay penthouse seaside glam minimalism water view
In the living area, two striped Lee sofas face each other with Made Goods side tables at the arms, flanked by petite ottomans and RH swivel chairs on the lanai. The effect is airy and balanced, the furnishings low enough to keep sightlines open to Inner and Outer Clam Bays. A trio of oversized shells explodes across the sofa’s wall, pushing the beach motif toward abstraction. “We wanted the symmetry to calm the visual,” Lucy says.
Throughout, Lucy used clean lines as the backdrop, then punctuated the spaces with cabana-style details. In the foyer, a pair of navy rattan chairs from Serena & Lily set the tone, creating a sweet little spot for a cocktail or puzzle at a bamboo and raffia-wrapped table from Verde Home. A white, peace-lily-inspired chandelier hangs above it, an oversized color-block print on the wall evokes a beach scene without being too literal, and pillows in sunset shades feed the scheme’s throughline. “She put that touch of pink and orange in every room—it brings the whole place together,” the homeowner says.
1 of 2
Spacecrafting Photography
mystique pelican bay penthouse seaside glam minimalism living
In the family room, a Hancock & Moore sleeper sofa and Lutron blinds recessed into the wide-cased opening allow the space to convert into a guest room. Off the main living area, the lanai’s low-slung seating preserves sightlines to Inner and Outer Clam Bays.
2 of 2
Spacecrafting Photography
mystique pelican bay penthouse seaside glam minimalism dining table
Cane-back dining chairs surround a wood table beneath Currey & Company’s dramatic leaf-detail chandelier, while abstract art and coral pillows carry the penthouse’s color palette through every room.
The kitchen is similarly crisp, with white cabinetry and a glass-tile backsplash enlivened by navy birdcage chandeliers and Serena & Lily rattan bistro stools with wicker-resin backs, which pull in the beachside detail. (They’re wipe-clean, too—good for the grandkids.) “We wanted it to feel beachy, but not overtly so,” the homeowner adds. Green-and-white chairs in the adjoining breakfast nook pick up on a watercolor pineapple print nearby. In every room, natural materials—rattan, wicker, cane, jute—are offset with lacquer, glass or leather for polish. A glossy buffet anchors the dining area, and in the family room, royal-blue leather ottomans tuck beneath the console and glass tile shimmers around the fireplace. With its Hancock & Moore sleeper sofa and Lutron blinds recessed into the wide-cased opening, the space easily doubles as another guest room. Large, statement art—aerial beach umbrellas, playful seascapes—adds wit and impact. “All the art we chose was very graphic and modern,” Lucy says. “It sets a joyful, happy and spirited vibe.”
Each bedroom has its own personality within the larger scheme. The primary suite is serene in sea glass and driftwood tones. One guest room pairs a Dorothy Draper-worthy palm print bedspread with Bauhaus-style art, pale blue walls and sweeping views of Pelican Bay Golf Club. “Our guests hardly ever put the shades down,” the homeowner says. Another, designed for the granddaughters, bursts with aqua, coral and sunny yellow stripes.
Lucy kept in touch with the couple as the work progressed but held back photos until the final reveal. She timed their arrival for sunset, with gin fizzes waiting at the bar. “We walked in and were just giddy—it was like being on a reality TV show,” the homeowner says. They were struck by how the design captured the setting—neutral backdrops saturated with jolts of color, a home that feels at once modern, celebratory and distinctly of Naples. “Lucy really tuned in to the color and light in Florida; she just amped everything up.”
1 of 3
Spacecrafting Photography
mystique pelican bay penthouse seaside glam minimalism bar cart
Clean lines and white walls keep the colors from being overwhelming. Natural materials balance with high-gloss finishes for elegance, while performance fabrics accommodate five young grandchildren. “When people walk in, they feel comfortable and happy,” the homeowner says.
2 of 3
Spacecrafting Photography
mystique pelican bay penthouse seaside glam minimalism bedroom
3 of 3
Spacecrafting Photography
mystique pelican bay penthouse seaside glam minimalism bathroom
Interior Design: Lucy Penfield
Builder: BUILD, Naples
Photography: Spacecrafting