Jennifer Aniston's Japanese-inspired pool area stopped me in my tracks – it's the most serene oasis I've ever seen

It’s hard to believe this tranquil, ultra-minimalist pool is in the heart of Bel Air – and you can bring home the same Japanese-inspired calm

Jennifer Aniston surrounded by green plants
(Image credit: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via GettyImages)

Few properties uphold the eternal grandeur of Jennifer Aniston's Bel Air home. Designed by architect A. Quincy Jones, it's a mid-century masterpiece that's rivalled only by its Japanese-style garden, the product of celebrated designer Marcello Villano.

On the celebrity style desk, we keep returning to Jennifer Aniston's Japanese-inspired garden whenever we need reminding of just how stunning a landscaped exterior can be. The grounds, in their entirety, rival a luxury resort, but nothing captures its splendor like the swimming pool area.

Jennifer's interior designer, the acclaimed Stephen Shadley, was responsible for continuing the East Asian-style aesthetic around the poolside. He decorated the wooden area with black upholstered sun loungers, accessorized with white cushions for a striking monochromatic look.

The curated outdoor furniture, paired with her vertical yucca planting and evergreen groundcovers, serves as the blueprint for a spa-like garden that, according to master gardeners, can be replicated on a smaller scale.

'Jennifer Aniston’s garden draws on Japanese design principles: tranquility, balance, and layered simplicity,' comments Thom Rutter, a master gardener and content editor at Homes & Gardens. He notes that her stunning vertical and groundcover planting contributes to the tranquility of her space, transforming it into a Zen paradise amid Los Angeles' chaos.

'The beautiful yuccas provide vertical interest and sculptural structure, their architectural form anchoring the space. Beneath them, a thoughtful underplanting of evergreen groundcovers – including prostrate rosemary, creeping juniper, and low-growing thyme. These bring a soft flush of seasonal color, creating a flowing, sea-like effect that's perfect for a poolside,' he says.

'The result is a lush, serene composition that feels both intentional and generous, celebrating restraint while offering richness. It’s a masterclass in how height and structure can harmonize with low-growing textures to cultivate calm.' Jennifer's garden is one of a kind, won't you agree? I'll be fixating on this photo for the rest of summer (and long beyond).


Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.

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