Lesson plans and living rooms: Eden Prairie woman builds a life of teaching and design

After years spent shaping young minds and preparing lesson plans, Sara Thorne has added preparing floor plans to her skill set.

The Eden Prairie resident has taught second grade at Breck School for 35 years, but the combination of COVID-19 and an empty nest prompted her to head back to school as a student to pursue her other passion – interior design.

Now, she still teaches while also building her dream business, Hygge Home Interiors, one beautiful space at a time. (Visit instagram.com/hyggehomestyler.)

Thorne has an undergraduate degree in early childhood education with a minor in psychology and a master’s degree in curriculum instruction.

Recently, she added an associate degree in interior design from Century College, a two-year community and technical school in White Bear Lake.

After her two daughters headed to college, Thorne decided it was the perfect time for her to return, too.

“I was really looking for something that I could still feel like I was learning and growing,” she said. “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” 

She opted to pursue a degree because “for me, I wanted to do something more structured. And I loved being in that setting again – in college, at a totally different place in my life. It was so great.”

Her choice of Century’s two-year program allowed her to continue teaching while pursuing her degree.

Being a student again, instead of the teacher, gave Thorne fresh perspective on learning and teaching. 

“Being in that setting and being a learner was kind of fun for me as a teacher,” she said. “And it also gave me a little empathy for what it feels like when my kids show up. I was learning computer software and AutoCad and renderings, and never had any background. I almost felt panicked at certain times. And I hadn’t felt that in a long time. I was reminded how that feels to have somebody giving you content and you have no previous knowledge and what you do with that.” 

Much had changed since her first time in college.

“Everything was online: the syllabus, the portal, uploading assignments. Not to mention taking graded tests again!” she said. “It felt very different to be on the flip side of it.” Though it felt uncomfortable initially, the challenge was also exhilarating.

Design roots, rooted in nature

Thorne has loved design for as long as she can remember.

“I grew up in a really small community in Iowa with not a lot of access to shopping, but we would get catalogs, and I just loved the aesthetic. I loved to look through them,” she recalled.

Since then, she and her family have lived in several homes in Eden Prairie, redesigning each to varying degrees before selling.

”We went in and brought them back to life. So I’ve done the actual physical work, like laying floors, painting, helping tear down, so I get that perspective of it, too,” she said. “I love the challenge of styling and designing on a limited budget. To me, that’s where I find the most joy.”

Friends often sought her help with their homes, and she assisted colleagues in arranging classrooms. She also served on the furniture design committee when her school got all new furniture.

“So, really, it’s just always been my thing,” she said.

Thorne describes her current design style as organic.

“I like things from nature – textures from nature, clay, greens, wood, exposed leathers, cozies.” She added, “I like more neutral colors. They calm me down.” 

“My grandma hand-poured her own candles,” she said. “It’s kind of the idea of making people feel comfortable, offering coffee and a cookie – the act of being hospitable to guests. So that’s always been a thing of mine.”

Thorne also gravitates to livability and tranquility in her own surroundings. “I definitely like things that aren’t over the top or loud,  or I don’t want to worry about stains or spills.” 

Living in Minnesota also informs her design choices. “Because it is darker here in the winter, I like to use lighter and brighter colors,” she said. “The influence of nature coming in, the greens from outside, the woods, that is what we find here.”

Her family’s fixer-upper lake property reflects a slightly different take:

“I’ve done that property in a clean, Scandinavian style with no frills, really clean lines, and I love that, too,” she said.

Thorne has tackled all types of projects for her clients. “I like spaces where there aren’t TVs, like lounge spaces where people gather, and it really is about a cozy conversation place with conversational seating elements that get everybody involved,” she said. 

She gets a lot of requests for help with kitchens. “Those become much more technical, with dimensions and things fitting. I feel like this is a place where people really need a lot of help – kitchens and baths,” she said. 

A recent interest is “designing for living in place for seniors that will allow people to stay in their home as long as possible.”

Where classroom meets living room

At first glance, teaching and design might seem like completely different worlds. But connections are there.

“In second grade, it’s normal to be working with a really wide range of human beings,” she said. “I think that has really helped me with working with clients, because I have a higher threshold of opinions and the different ways people look at things and their perspectives. And I think if I hadn’t had that background, I would have been more tunnel-focused in my opinion and my aesthetic and my way of going about it. I know that just one process doesn’t work for teaching all kids, so it also wouldn’t work for all clients. So I think that piece of it’s been a huge benefit.”

Just as parents entrust their children to her, her clients trust her with their homes.

“Trust and communication is a big thing,” she said. “Our houses are our safe spaces, so when somebody’s invited you into their house, that’s also a very vulnerable place for them to be in. It’s not just moving furniture or ripping up a floor – it’s trying to create a place that is a haven for that client.”

Both roles require planning and being ready for the unexpected. “So much of design is keeping many, many moving parts going at the same time,” she said. “I have to be willing to stay flexible with my classroom goals and in design adjustments or changes.”

And both jobs bring great satisfaction when everything falls into place. “I love that connection with humans and I love it when people are so happy. I think that’s what keeps me teaching, when the kids suddenly ‘get it.’ I love that and I love that feeling when the client shows up and they see how things are coming together.”

Recently, Thorne has taught design through the Eden Prairie Community Education program, which has opened up new possibilities for combining her teaching and design careers.

“To be able to have a design background and an education background is really not realistic for every interior design instructor, but very helpful,” she said.

Design for life

Though everyone may not embark on an additional or new career later in life, Thorne believes exploring one’s interests can lead to opportunities. 

“Do whatever you can do to keep learning,” she said. 

Thorne and her younger daughter graduated from their respective colleges on the same day in May 2024.

“I think it’s great role modeling for our kids that you can always keep learning,” she said. 

When she started her journey, “I wasn’t exactly sure what this would look like, and I’m still learning. But if you move and you grow, then there are more options that open up to you.”

“I think we’re healthier and happier if pursuing something we enjoy,” she added. “I get to show up. I have this purpose. I have this passion. My mind’s active. I’m meeting new people. I think that no matter who you are or what age you are, that’s always a good thing.”