A Chinese travertine Sitting Room for Mom

Closing on a new home with more square footage meant that Kelly Spielman finally had the space to have a grown-up, formal sitting room. As soon as she knew she would get this dream space, she turned to a designer she had been admiring for a while, who turns out also went to high school with her husband.

Chinese travertine Transitional  by Meddock Interiors

Photos by Hoffmann Photographer

Sitting Room at a Glance

Who lives here: Pete and Kelly Spielman, their three kids (Lucas, 5, London, 2, and Levi, 10 months) and their two dogs

What happens here: The grown-ups relax after a long day, and chat with family and friends when they stop by.

Location: Yorba Linda, California

Size: 224 square feet (20.8 square meters)

Designer: Summer Meddock, designer and owner of Meddock Interiors

A formal sitting area and young children don’t always coexist, and that’s something designer Summer Meddock knows all too well. She has three kids of her own. 

“During our first meeting, we talked about the fact that the kids might slip away from the kitchen with a PB&J and get it all over the couch,” Meddock says. “She’d respond, ‘I’m good with it. I really want my pretty entertaining space.’” Kelly knew that the kids could learn this room was for the grown-ups and that they could instead scamper off to the casual family room. 

With kids and mom in mind, Meddock worked to balance materials and finishes to give mom a beautiful space that could withstand a little kid contact. The solid coffee table and the leather chairs can easily be wiped down. The cream-colored couches, however, aren’t as resilient. “I asked her, ‘Are you OK with super light couches?’ and she felt super comfortable moving forward with them,” Meddock says. They ended up being one of the first purchases. 

“It’s beautiful and enjoyable to be in,” Kelly says of the room. “The kids can be playing in the family room, and the adults have their own special place to hang out.”

Sofas: Zuo Modern Contemporary; rug: Refined Carpet | Rugs; chairs: Urbanism Furniture; curtains: Hobby Lobby

 Chinese travertine Rendering by Meddock Interiors

This plan shows many of the same elements that ended up in the final space: large couches, patterned rug, console table and large coffee table. Throughout, neutral tones and soft colors dominate the space. 

The Spielmans were still in the process of selling and buying homes, and they didn’t have keys to the new place yet. This meant that Meddock got to step into the space only once while designing. She took measurements, and had to rely on those and her photos of the space to complete the layouts and purchase furnishings. 

In total, Meddock’s design work came together in about 40 days. This included the formal sitting area, featured here, along with the dining room, entry, family room and master bedroom. 

See all the photos from this project

 Transitional  by Meddock Interiors

Meddock Interiors

The furniture arches around the coffee table, which sits in front of the fireplace. This view of the room showcases the color palette Kelly loved and that Meddock created. “I always try to make sure that it’s cohesive throughout the entire space,” Meddock says. 

To create this balance of light, neutral colors, the designer made sure to spread the colors throughout the design. The cream from the couches also appears in the candlesticks on the mantel and the antler decor on the table. The coffee table has a metallic shine, which reappears again in the moose decor on the mantel. 

Underneath all these neutral elements, the blue patterned rug pulls the room together, Meddock says. “I was in love with it, and I was hoping she’d be into it even though it’s a little funky and busier than everything else,” she says. “But she loved it, and it was a total win. It was the contrast we needed.”

Coffee table: Z Gallerie

 Transitional  by Meddock Interiors

Meddock Interiors

The couple already owned this wooden sign emblazoned with their last initial and names. Meddock didn’t decide to put it on the mantel until two days before the installation. To keep the focus on that personal piece, she framed it with farmhouse-style candlesticks, a shiny moose and a concrete pot with a faux plant. 

Candlesticks and silver moose: World Plus Consignment; faux plant: Target

 Transitional  by Meddock Interiors

Meddock Interiors

Meddock especially loved her moose find because it gave the room a little outdoor feel, something Kelly’s husband, Pete, appreciated.

 Chinese travertine Transitional  by Meddock Interiors

A faux succulent arrangement and antler decor adorn the coffee table. “We used synthetic plants throughout the house,” Meddock says. “They are great for busy people, and this couple runs a business and has three kids.”

The key, Meddock says, is finding high-quality faux plants. Furniture stores are her go-to place for these little bits of green. “There is a visible difference if you spend just a little extra money on them,” she says.