Hi Everyone!
I’m always inspired by designers who know how to create spaces that feel elevated without ever feeling overdone, and Kristin Stelea does exactly that.
Kristin is the founder and principal designer of Los Angeles-based Kristin Stelea Design, where she creates warm, thoughtfully layered homes that blend California ease with timeless European influence.
Originally from Pacific Palisades, Kristin’s point of view has been shaped by her California roots, her design background, and her time living and working in London. The result is a style that feels refined, personal, and genuinely livable.
I loved getting the chance to learn more about Kristin’s approach to design, where she finds inspiration, and how travel continues to influence the spaces she creates.
GM: Tell us a little about yourself!
KS: I’m Kristin of Kristin Stelea Design from Pacific Palisades, California. I grew up surrounded by design. My parents had a business together designing hotels, with my father as the architect and my mother as the interior designer.
I lived in Rome as a child and more recently spent several years in London, so travel has always been a meaningful part of my life and a major influence on how I see and create spaces.
GM: How would you describe your interior design style?
KS: My style is warm, collected, and timeless, with a relaxed California sensibility and European influence. I love combining natural materials, vintage pieces, and thoughtful details to create homes that feel elevated but genuinely livable.
Photography by Meghan Bob Photography
GM: From your color selections to your furniture, can you walk us through your design process? Where do you begin?
KS: I begin by understanding the home, its setting, and how my clients want to live in it. From there, I develop the overall feeling and color palette, then layer in materials, furniture, lighting, art, and textiles.
I want every choice to feel intentional while creating a home that feels personal, comfortable, and able to evolve naturally over time.
GM: What’s one of the greatest interior design lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?
KS: A home doesn’t need to be designed all at once to feel complete. The most memorable spaces are often layered over time and include pieces that tell a story rather than simply follow a trend.
GM: Where do you turn for inspiration?
KS: Travel is my greatest source of inspiration, from the architecture and colors of a city to the details in a hotel, restaurant, or historic home.
Growing up in Rome especially shaped my appreciation for craftsmanship, patina, and spaces that feel as though they have evolved over generations. And I’d be lying if I said Instagram wasn’t a source of inspiration as well!
GM: Is there a photo of mine from any of my series that you would love to style in one of your projects? If so, which one and where?
KS: I’d love to use Portofino Vista, but really any of the Italy photos. I spent every summer near Portofino when I was growing up in Italy, and my husband and I were married in Umbria.
I also gave your Italy book to all my bridesmaids, so the collection feels extra special to me.
Collected, Not Decorated
What I love most about Kristin’s work is how personal each space feels. Nothing feels overly designed. Instead, her interiors feel as though they’ve been collected naturally over time, with art, objects, and thoughtful details that each have a story to tell.
I’ve always believed that art can transport you to a place, a memory, or a feeling, so I especially loved hearing how Kristin’s travels continue to shape the way she approaches a home. From her childhood in Rome to summers near Portofino and years spent in London, you can see those influences come through in a way that still feels relaxed and distinctly California.
Thank you, Kristin, for inviting us into your world and sharing a little more about your approach to creating spaces that are not only beautiful, but truly meant to be lived in.
XO,
Gray