Interior designer Ashley Clark used rugs, artwork and custom slipcovered sofas to create a warm but functional living room. PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
Skout Interior Design founder Ashley Clark added texture and modern touches to update this Tudor-style Dover Shores home for Arbor Real Estate partners Jon and Nicole Dishon.
Clark added a custom island and a prominent RH light fixture to the kitchen. PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
“We like to keep things light and bright and fun,” says Ashley Clark, who opened Newport Beach-based Skout Interior Design (skoutinteriordesign.com) in 2010 after friends sought out her keen eye for design. Clark’s style is laid-back, lived-in and what she calls “low-key luxury.” “And we love our spaces to feel just a tiny bit unexpected,” she says.
Clark had walked this Dover Shores home even before her clients—Arbor Real Estate (arborrealestate.com) founding partner Jon Dishon, who grew up in the family-friendly neighborhood minutes from the beach, and his wife and business partner, Nicole. “I was really excited when they decided to buy it,” says Clark. “It was just so open and big with so much potential!” However, she wanted the home to feel younger, cozier and more current to better reflect the clients, who have two girls and a fun, entertaining lifestyle. “It is large and has great bones but was stuck in an ’80s movie,” she says of the space. “We wanted to keep the layout and just update everything about it.”
The main level features a moody office/library, a bar area with the family’s art and photos, and a dining room with wicker lighting and a rolling ladder. PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
Her work on the Tudorstyle home—uncommon for Newport Beach—started in fall 2020. “We did not want to throw on some barn lights and call it a farmhouse,” she notes. “We wanted to update the house to feel like a modern Tudor.” Upon walking in, guests are greeted by high ceilings and a giant staircase. “It is really a wow factor!” Clark says. “The layout is so smart for a family—it has a big indoor-outdoor element. And living in Newport Beach with the incredible weather year-round, we really wanted the home to flow seamlessly indoors and outdoors.” She also immediately sought to add texture. “We added brick on the entire entry and staircase, and painted it white,” she says, noting how it brightened things up. “We updated all the lighting and then layered in some wallpaper and shiplap to include more depth and texture.” Her process consisted of lots of layering—“and when you think you’re done, add one more layer!” she says. “White walls are great, but can be so boring without layering in different textures and materials to make things unique. We also always try to use some vintage pieces in every project—something with a story.”
PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
By combining rugs, artwork, Skout custom slipcovered sofas and a Crate & Barrel chair, Clark made the living room warm but functional. “It is no longer a living room that no one ever goes in,” says Clark, whose favorite room is the adjacent dining room featuring a long dining table and oversize RH chairs. “The lighting and that custom bookcase we had built really changed the entire vibe of the house. You see it right when you walk in.” She used unique wicker lighting and a rolling ladder to pull eyes upward, and filled the bookcase with the family’s photos and art from their travels and favorite places. “We like our clients’ hobbies, interests and loves to really shine in every project,” she says.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
The main level also includes a sophisticated office/library, a bonus room for lounging, a guest bedroom, a bar area, and a kitchen with a cozy eating nook and adjacent great room. “This room was the biggest challenge,” says Clark, who added custom open Haskell metal shelves, a custom island and a prominent RH light fixture, and created a sink that was no longer at an angle. “We kept the general layout but made some really great improvements,” she notes. Upstairs, four additional bedrooms, including the primary suite with an attached office, await. “This room felt a little too big,” says Clark, who brightened up the neutral-toned bedroom with RH mirrors flanking the bed, a Lulu and Georgia rug, and a fireplace with sleek Clé tile. The primary bath exudes warmth with vintage open shelves and a vintage rug. “This is a unique space and we wanted to maximize the space and storage without changing the footprint,” she says.
A bonus room for lounging boasts wallpaper on the ceiling by Mitchell Black PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
In addition to a pool, jacuzzi and fire pit, the dreamy outdoor space features an enclosed lounge area flaunting the name “Club Dishon,” with Article chairs, a decorative surfboard and a large TV screen. The Dishons were sold on their luxurious new abode: “They love it,” says Clark, who thinks the home feels like an entirely different space. “We have worked with them on a few projects and this one they say is it—they are staying!” Mission accomplished.
The abundant outdoor space includes a pool, jacuzzi and fire pit, plus Crate & Barrel outdoor chairs. PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
Clark sought to update this Dover Shores home to feel like a modern Tudor and to flow seamlessly indoors and outdoors. PHOTOGRAPHED BY VALERIE VOGT BAUER
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