Karen Lynn Feather Stelea

Karen Lynn Feather Stelea,  an award-winning interior designer with HDC Interior Architecture + Design, passed away suddenly at 61 from cardiac arrest on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 20 2016.

Karen was born on Aug. 11, 1955 in Santa Monica, Calif.  She grew up in Westwood in a busy household of four brothers and one sister. Karen was the second oldest child, and her mother, Diane Feather, relied on her heavily to help with the household duties and child raising.  Karen remained close to her mother, who lived with her for the last twelve years of her life.

Karen attended elementary school at St. Paul the Apostle School in Westwood, and then Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.  She went to college at UCLA where she graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, focusing on interior design.

Following college, Karen went to work as an interior designer with LA hospitality design firm, Barry Design Associates (BDA).  It was here where she met the Romanian-born architect, Michael Stelea.  It was love at first sight, and they married in 1985.

Their prayers and dreams were realized with the birth of their daughter, Kristin Michelle on Oct. 3, 1990. The young couple bought a home in Pacific Palisades in 1990, which they completely rebuilt and designed.

In 1995, eager to expand their professional horizon and explore the world, they moved to Rome, to form HDC Interior Architecture + Design with Michael as the primary architect and Karen as the interior designer.

Gradually their business in designing world class hotels flourished and expanded with projects throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Notable projects included The St. Regis Florence, Villa la Cupola Rome, The Westin Valencia, The Westin Excelsior Rome and Hotel Imperial Vienna.

Along the way, they collected three Gold Key Awards, the industry’s most prestigious honor that recognizes outstanding design for hospitality projects worldwide.  They would soon receive their fourth, for the 2014 renovation of The St. Regis Hotel in NYC.

Five years later, Karen and Michael decided it was time to bring their young daughter Kristin back to the United States, and so they did. Karen and Michael continued to travel back and forth to Europe for business, but home was now the Palisades.

The word elegant is one that friends and family say describes Karen best. While she was fun loving, caring, soft spoken and thoughtful, she was forever elegant in the way she carried herself.

Whether it was on a hike with friends and family or cooking a meal at home, she had a manner about her which made you want to pause and listen.  She had a calm nature. She was absolutely non-judgmental.  She was someone who took time to listen and then listen some more.

She could be found in the early mornings walking her beloved Siberian husky, Rigley (a surprise gift from her mother and daughter!) all around the Palisades. She loved spin classes at Revolution, and circuit training classes at Drive Cardio, where her daughter Kristin would often join her. Throughout their lives, Karen and Michael shared a love of hiking together, having just taken a 70-mile trip in August through the mountains of France, Italy and Switzerland.

The time she treasured the most was that spent at home with her adored husband Michael, where they would spend most evenings cooking. Sitting down to dinner with Kristin, and a glass of wine, was the best time of the day.  And then there was Sunday night dinner, a night never to be missed at the Stelea house, with Michael and Karen always preparing an unforgettable feast.

Karen was a wonderful and loving mother, indeed her daughter Kristin’s very best friend. They could be seen at workout class, strolling the farmer’s market on Sundays, or curling up on the sofa to share a bowl of popcorn together. Just this year, Karen was busy transitioning their firm HDC into a new design partnership called Farina Hom & Stelea. The day before Karen tragically passed away, Kristin had spent all day shopping for a design project with her mother, which included time for lunch in Beverly Hills.  It was a lunch filled with laughter, lots of chatter and simple mother-daughter talk.  There was no thought of anything but the best of times ahead.

Karen is survived by her husband Michael, daughter Kristin, and four brothers John, Bill, Peter and Richard.  She was pre-deceased by her sister Ellen and mother Diane.