Dive Into 20 of the Most Inviting Pools From the AD Archive

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Pools, pools, pools. Is that what’s on your mind, too? Alas, summer is almost over. Nonetheless, as you enjoy a burst of outdoor respite this Labor Day weekend—or longingly recall the hottest months of the year in the coming, crisper weeks—there’s no reason not to let yourself be metaphorically transported to a perfect pool of your choice. So take a dip, do a lap, and make some waves as you swim languorously through the 20 images below. They represent some of the best—and most inviting—pools published in past issues of AD. From artist abodes to AD100 creations, it will be well worth your time. 

An Artist’s South of France Home

Guy de Rougemont might not be a name you know—but it certainly should be. The aristocratic French artist is known for his charming sculptures. An example of one such piece from his robust oeuvre sits in the center of his South of France pool, pictured above. Of the pool area, AD contributing editor Gay Gassmann wrote in the March 2020 issue: “Behind a simple, unmarked wooden door painted green, not far from the village square, lies the hidden paradise: a lovely courtyard and reflecting pool surrounded by a few buildings and a lush garden dotted with sculptures. To the left is the studio; the residence sits straight ahead.”

A Colorful Los Angeles Oasis

In February 2020, AD West Coast editor Mayer Rus visited the Southern California home of an L.A.–area family. Designed by Frances Merrill, the home is a riot of color and pattern. Merrill said at the time, speaking of her client: “If ornament is crime, Katie is my accomplice.” And charmingly, the exterior areas of the property are just as lively and compelling as any wallpapered rooms. “Horticulturally, the garden is part Japanese, part native California, and part jungle,” David Godshall, the cofounder of landscape design firm Terremoto, explained at one point of his own contribution. The pool area, with its vintage bamboo armchairs and live oak, is clearly a crucial part of the whole. 

Studio Peregalli’s Wallpaper-Ensconced Pool in Bavaria

In an idyllic Bavarian retreat, an early 19th-century sculpture by Antonio Canova surveys a beautiful pool. Surrounded by a hand-painted mural and bamboo shades, the pool is the perfect well-designed space in which to take a plunge. AD100 firm Studio Peregalli is responsible for this jewel box—as well as for the custom bronze sconce seen in the corner. While the pool house was a relatively new addition to the home, the façade of the main house had deeper roots. “It’s a house that’s simple as can be,” Roberto Peregalli said of the German structure at the time, “but when you step inside, it’s a surprise.”

Una Piscina in San Miguel de Allende

In April 2019, AD decorative arts editor Mitchell Owens led readers into the Mexican abode of Dallas designer Michelle Nussbaumer. Located in San Miguel de Allende, it is the product of a fair amount of restoration effort. Its striking interiors are rivaled only by its pool enclave, seen here. Featuring star-shaped pendants, ample ferns, and custom chaise longues, the area is a worthwhile escape if ever there was one. Speaking of the project as a whole, Nussbaumer said, “I wanted this place to be romantic but a bit shabby.”

A Party Pool Created by Ken Fulk

Is there anything more inviting than umbrellas (by Santa Barbara Designs) permanently installed to shade pool-dwelling chaise longue drifters? For those who love the water but shun the sun, the answer is likely no. They’re in this pool thanks to AD100 designer Ken Fulk and architect Víctor Legorreta, who created a striking Mexican escape. Of the property’s two pools, Fulk wrote at the time: “As you look across the central courtyard’s large reflecting pool—where a hydraulic platform rises at the touch of a button to accommodate a dining table and chairs—you see straight through the double-height living room to an infinity pool painstakingly colored to match the hue of the water beyond. We went to great lengths to blur that line between the pool and the ocean, and we went through a similar exercise with the finishes throughout the house.”

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent’s Dreamy L.A. Home

When designer superstar duo Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent set up their Los Angeles home, they imagined a space where their family could continue to grow. “We pictured [our daughter] Poppy, and eventually the rest of our family, playing under [one] tree, and we thought this was a place we could put down roots,” Brent told AD in January 2018. Though the Berkus-Brent gang has since decamped to New York, the pool area of this Spanish Colonial residence still resonates. That’s thanks in large part to its shady pergola, seen above. The structure was painted in Benjamin Moore’s Alabaster; its pendant lights were sourced from RH. As for the furniture, the chairs are vintage Kreiss finds and the assortment of pillows are from Pottery Barn. 

The Mérida Pool of an Artist

In Mérida, Mexico, artist Jorge Pardo has built a colorful retreat. Here, the outdoors are as important as the interiors, as evidenced by the lush surrounding garden grounds. “I wanted to make a place where you didn’t ‘go’ to the garden, but you’re in the garden,” Pardo explained at the time. “I love the idea that you have to walk through the entire garden every day as you go in and out of the house.” As for the pool, it can be accessed from the outdoors or through the living room. The basin itself is made out of chukum Mayan stucco.

A-Rod’s Florida Abode

For its June 2016 issue, AD visited the home of baseball star Alex Rodriguez. Though A-Rod is best known as a Yankees all-star, the estate is located far from Manhattan’s cityscape—specifically, in the perennially lush state of Florida. The image seen here, which was taken by Bjorn Wallander, graced the magazine’s early summer cover. Considering the wide blue expanse of this invitingly large pool, it’s no wonder why.

A Brazilian Pool With a View to Remember

In September 2014, Carlos Souza gave AD a tour of his Brazilian home. Located in Nova Friburgo, its pool, seen here, features an incredible view of the nearby Três Picos mountains. The beautiful blues of the water and pool are rivaled only by the Valentino executive’s kitchen, which features a similar, albeit sunnier, color palette of its own. 

One Bridgehampton Watering Hole

In Bridgehampton, New York, lives a couple known for their gun-safety advocacy work. They are also involved parents, as one anecdote from the July 2014 issue clearly shows. Not far from the guesthouse and swimming pool, pictured above, sits a vegetable and herb garden. The house rule? “Whatever they plant they have to eat,” the mother says of her two daughters, who are also permitted to sell their produce if they want to. The renovated 19th-century home is, however, undoubtedly competed by this picturesque pool.

A Hydrangea-Framed Pool on Long Island’s East End

In the same July issue, another Hamptons home received its moment in the summer sun. Located on the island’s East End is the home of Juan Montoya. With its classic shingle-style architecture, liberal use of hydrangeas, and appreciation for all things blue and white, it is East Coast summer style personified. Of the poolside outdoor dining area, Montoya’s wife remarked, “It was inspired by a home we rented one summer near St.-Tropez. We love eating outdoors.” Clematis and wisteria were planted to grow on the pergola, and a variety of other verdant species were planted nearby. The pendant light is by Robert Altman, created around 1960. 

The Historic Tuscan Villa of an English Earl

“Owning such a villa is an extravagance, one I couldn’t really afford,” Ned Lambton, the seventh Earl of Durham, told AD in May 2014 of inheriting his family’s 17th-century Tuscan estate, Villa Cetinale. “I saw two options,” he continues. “Enjoy Cetinale in its crumbling state, or restore it and rent it out for short periods in order to keep it in the family. [My wife] Marina and I chose the second course.” Clearly it was a good decision, if its enviable pool is any indication. Stone walls surround the swimming area, which looks out onto a classic central Italian landscape. 

Muriel Brandolini’s Hampton Bays Indoor-Outdoor Pool

Indoor swimming pools tend to get a bad rap, but not all of them exist on the same playing field, as the above example shows. Located in designer Muriel Brandolini’s home in Hampton Bays, New York, this pool’s floor-to-ceiling folding glass walls let in the sea breeze. Summer visitors who may be reluctant to shut out the fresh air can enjoy a completely shaded swim. And in winter months, the pool is still ready for action.  

Liz Claiborne’s Caribbean Retreat

The September issue of AD usually features more than a bit of fall fashion flavor, and September 2013 was no exception. The pool seen here belonged to designer Liz Claiborne, and was originally featured in the August 2004 issue of the magazine. Claiborne’s one-bedroom St Barths retreat was paradise found. Perched on a hilltop, the poured-concrete home was designed by Studio MORSA and local architect Pierre Monsaingeon. In addition to its lush nearby plantings, the pool featured a bridge over which guests could enter and leave the house. 

A Pool Appointed With Custom Mario Buatta Pillows

Mario Buatta was the trusted decorator of Hilary and Wilbur Ross, designing homes for the couple in the Hamptons and Palm Beach. (“Mario’s done four projects for us in nine years,” Wilbur told AD in July 2013.) While Buatta may not have been responsible for the pool decking seen here, he did create the custom pink-and-white beach ball pillows seen at this Ross estate. And clearly, waterscapes were on his mind when it came to these commissions. Speaking of one Ross ballroom, the famous decorator commented: “It feels like you’re floating on the water…depending on how many drinks you’ve had.” The chaise longues pictured above are by Michael Taylor Designs.

Where to Do a Texan Lap

To create this Austin hillside home, AD100 Flato Architects teamed up with Terry Hunziker to build a minimalist tour de force. The lap pool, seen here, is surrounded by limestone and grassy plantings. Not far away rests a grassy lawn, pergola-shaded terrace, and handful of oaks. Of the project in general, Ted Flato said: “It’s a steep little hill, and houses seem to tumble off it in every direction. Sometimes, in that situation, you feel like you’re in an airplane floating above the land. But we wanted to ground the architecture in the land.”

The Private Pool of a Marrakech Villa

At the famous Es Saadi Gardens & Resort, 10 separate villas—each with its own heated pool— make for 10 standout places to stay. Pictured here is the private pool of the Persian Villa, which is located in the middle of the property’s garden area. Tadelakt, a traditional Moroccan plaster, is the slightly reflective light blue material that so effortlessly matches the dwelling’s surrounding water.

A Pool in the American Southwest

Does this look like a pool located in New Mexico? Its nearby lush plantings suggest otherwise, while its sepia-turquoise coloring almost implies a Moroccan influence. Nonetheless, the diving board in the foreground provides the perfect perch from which to admire the earth-toned architectural structures—as well as a cherub fountain inspired by classic European gardens.

A Maine Swimming Attraction

This extensive Maine compound on the island of Mount Desert is dubbed Rockridge. But despite its grand acreage, being close to the environment is clearly of the utmost importance. The estate’s swimming pool, surrounded by flowers such as daylilies, was designed to resemble the organic shape of a pond. Nearby, the screened-in deck of a pool house holds wicker chairs and sofas to perch on while surveying the view. However, the compound’s architectural style is decidedly more eclectic: “We borrowed from Russian domed buildings, Swedish castles, Indonesian spirit houses, and myriad others,” architect Chris Wriggins commented to the magazine in June 2005. 

The Quintessential Vision of David Hockney

When painterly depictions of pools come up, it’s nearly impossible to avoid mentioning the great British artist David Hockney. For its April 1983 issue, AD visited the painter’s home, which famously features not just a pool, but a pool floor custom-painted by the artist himself. Writer Constance W. Glenn referred to the cerulean brushstroke marking as “Dufy-esque,” and noted that the strokes are “a motif that abounds in [Hockney’s] work.” Above, Hockney enjoys the sun, as well as the pool that “wraps languidly around” his home. 

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