
Life is a little bit sweeter when you’re a celebrity. These famous individuals have spent their hard-earned money creating some truly astonishing pieces of real estate. But as elegant as these mansions and tropical hideaways can be, the most notable feature tends to be the backyard. Spending time outside is one of the best reasons to buy a home in sunny California or Southern Florida and these celebrities are doing everything they can to make the most of their outdoor space. From lavish kitchens to hidden trails and over-the-top backyard swimming pools, these homes can only be described as gluttonous. Take a behind-the-scenes peek at how some of your favorite celebrities live and discover the most extravagant backyards in the country.
Laura Dern
This legendary actress sought to immerse herself and her two children in nature when moving into a new home in Brentwood, the lavish neighborhood just outside Hollywood. While she originally wanted to move her family into a treehouse, that wasn’t exactly realistic in the middle of a major urban destination. So, instead, she bought this modest pole-and-beam abode tucked into an open lot. The home is almost completely see-through, giving anyone a full view of the entire property.
When you step outside, you’ll see wide open spaces with some sloping trees and lots of bohemian-style knick-knacks and surf boards. Laura Dern has her own sense of style instead of imitating the lavish mansions scattered about the Hollywood Hills. She prefers a more low-key environment. There’s a soothing backyard pool tucked near the side of the house, a mass of ferns collecting near the glass walls of the house and some immaculate stone walkways. It’s her own private getaway in the middle of one of the most extravagant neighborhoods in the country.
Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Have you ever wanted to live in a tropical resort that’s all your own? Celebrity interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard knows how to build a lavish property and his home in Palm Springs is no exception. Step outside of this massive estate and you’ll see an enormous lap pool lined with towering columns and plush furniture for lounging in the sun. The pool is large enough to make any five-star resort jealous. Yet, this tropical paradise is just for Bullard and his friends and family.
The expansive awning that jets off the back of the mansion provides plenty of cover for the patio. There’s plenty of room outside for all kinds of social gatherings, making the entire area feel like more of a living room than an outdoor space. It’s complete with massive skylights. The entrance to the backyard is a massive glass-walled semi-circle lined with some impressive American portraiture, giving you a full view of the interior, including rows of ivory-white furniture and a spectacular chandelier. The entire patio and pool areas are covered in fine marble for a smooth, crisp finish. Clearly, the person behind this space knows a thing or two about interior design.
Tracey Edmonds
The host of Extra TV has gotten quite comfortable in her new mansion in Beverly Hills. The TV personality swooned when she saw the backyard space for the first time. What looks like your average mansion leads to a massive outdoor space on a series of sloping hills. The stone pathways lead down to a stunning Roman-inspired pool lined with rustic stone and circular edges. Edmonds made the space feel more like a home by adding hefty half-cast clay pots, spacious wicker furniture and wood tables for lounging in the sun.
But the main attraction of this outdoor space is the expansive view. The hilly terrain keeps the eye moving throughout the space. You can see for miles in almost every direction as you scan the horizon. You’ll see the backyards of the rich and famous, vineyards and a range of greenery and some pristine mountain tops. Edmonds says she uses the space for relaxing, meditating and reading. You can see why she comes here to relax. There’s nothing but natural beauty everywhere you turn.
Cheyenne Jackson
If LA is the city of dreams, actor Cheyenne Jackson and his husband Jason Landau certainly found theirs. They were apprehensive about moving to a bustling city like LA, but this dream home was enough to convince them to stay. The second story jets out to a massive balcony with stunning views of the Hollywood Hills canyons. The sun lights up the horizon with a maze of fabulous colors in the evening. It’s a good thing they have a great place to enjoy the view. The entire outdoor space is lined with aged wood and cozy furniture. The stone fireplace in the center is perfect for relaxing after a long day on a television set.
If you walk around the rest of the property, you’ll see some beautiful outdoor features that are sure to take your breath away. The stone walkways feature diagonal grass patterns to help break up the space visually. The gray stone walls lead to a series of small waterfalls that fill the space with the soothing sounds of running water.
Celine Dion
Few homes can compare to the greatness of legendary singer Celine Dion’s Miami abode. It cost a whopping $45 million and you can clearly see why. This extravagant mansion feels more like a tropical version of the White House instead of a vacation home. After you drive through the endless green lawn that is the front yard, you’ll see a massive property with a massive estate. But go around to the back and you’ll feel like you’ve wandered onto a deserted island resort.
So much of the backyard is completely paved with water, creating what looks a private retreat in the middle of Venice. The marble walkway extends out to a firepit in the middle of the pool for some water-side lounging. As you look out from the pool, you’ll see a number of buildings and even a marina off to the side of the property. Make no mistake, those all belong to Dion.
Phil Collins
The legendary musician is known for living a lavish lifestyle and if you peek inside his Miami beach house, you’ll quickly understand why. It once belonged to Jennifer Lopez, but Collins swept it up for a modest $33 million. The Mediterranean-style home features an expansive backyard that could give most golf courses a run for their money in terms of sheer size. If you’re lucky enough to spend some time on Collins’ massive property, you’ll quickly realize that there’s no shortage of things to do. Lined with palm trees, the backyard has a 60-foot pool for doing laps or lounging under the stars. Let’s hope he has some help when it comes to swimming pool maintenance.
Just off to the side of the pool, there’s a long patio that’s covered by a curved awning, complete with an open bar, grilling station and lots of seating. But there’s a lot more to this backyard than meets the eye. Collins also has a koi pond on the property and a boat dock that looks over the ocean.
Jeff Bridges
It’s easy to get lost when you’re wandering around Jeff Bridges’ massive outdoor space. This veteran actor has a soft spot for nature as you can see from the mass of greenery in the backyard. Nearly every inch of the space is covered in trees, herbs or flowers of some kind. One of the main attractions is the soothing lap pool with cascading water and stunning rock formations. Nothing looks overly manicured or landscaped, giving the space a more organic feel.
In addition to the usual backyard essentials like the outdoor kitchen and bar, the property expands far beyond most people’s expectations. Jeff Bridges even has his own hiking trails that weave through the maze of trees and ferns scattered throughout the property. There are thoughtful details such as the wisteria-covered trellis, the rustic stone platforms and the pebble pathways. If you feel like taking a walk, you’ll get a crash course in botany. You’ll see fruit orchards, aloe trees and the occasional wildlife.
Denise Richards
If Denise Richards feels like throwing a massive party in her Hollywood Hills mansion, she’ll have plenty of room for everyone she’s ever met. The patio leads out to an expansive backyard with two adjacent swimming pools lined with irregular stone. The pools even dip into a series of stone-covered canyons with a waterfall for even more fun in the water. You can lounge in the pool and get out of the sun at the same time. The area is filled with comfortable places to relax, including several cabanas and gazebos.
Closer to the house, you’ll see some impressive patio areas that leave just enough open space for the breeze to pass through. In between the stone columns, the benches open up to the outdoors. It’s a great place for enjoying the cool breeze without feeling exposed to the elements. The extra enclosure makes it a good place for some interior furniture that might otherwise get ruined when sitting outside. She has leather ottomans, stunning pillows and cushions and all the outdoor cooking and grilling gear you could ever want. There’s also a rustic stone fireplace nearby if the evening gets too chilly.
Jason Derulo
The singer has a penchant for living large. His home in Coconut Creek, Florida has it all. The massive patio has everything you need to prepare a meal, including some stainless steel grills and a full bar area. But wander further away from the house and you’ll see a serene swimming pool with a waterfall lined with jagged rocks and tropical landscaping.
Parts of the backyard space feel as if they’re coming out of the natural environment rather than an expert landscaping setup. If you don’t feel like lounging in the pool, you can always head up to the elevated spa. It sits on top of the pool, giving you a better view of the property.
Paula Deen
Cooking celebrity Paula Deen offers plenty of southern hospitality on her estate in Savannah, Georgia. It’s a mix of farm chic and contemporary glamour for a truly unusual backyard space. All around the massive pool, you’ll see some towering bathhouses and patio areas. You could throw multiple parties at once and no one would notice. The first pool area turns into a waterfall as it flows into the rest of the pool. Sparkling vases line the corners of the pool, giving it the majestic beauty of a Roman bathhouse. Of course, her home wouldn’t be complete without an outdoor cooking area. You can fry up the greasiest, most delicious southern meal you’ve ever had without even stepping inside the house.
But Deen’s home isn’t all about following the latest design trends. She still has room for a chicken pen, stocked pond and a massive barn that’s currently housing two mega RVs. There’s no end to what a person can do with this much space, but Deen is filling it with all the things she holds dear.
Martha Stewart
It should be no surprise to see Martha Stewart on this list. She has 63 acres on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, a remote area that’s filled with some awe-inspiring natural beauty. Her home feels more private and secluded than some of the other properties on this list because it’s tucked far away from the populated neighborhoods of LA or Miami. Her backyard is a series of stunning creations including perfectly crafted wooden tables and chairs, stone walkways that lead you from one garden to the next and some rustic trellis with vines and moss growing in every direction.
These celebrity homes have it all. Hopefully, looking at some of the most glamorous properties in the country will give you some ideas on how you can transform your backyard space. Not everyone can afford to live so large, but it never hurts to dream. Use some of these design ideas to create the ultimate backyard space today!