Olivia Newton-John, off stage and at home

Olivia Newton-John spent decades in the spotlight, yet she seemed happiest away from it, surrounded by animals and open green space. This Architectural Digest photo essay follows the English-born, Australian-raised singer through the homes and gardens where she spent her downtime.

It begins in 1966 in a Hampstead mews flat in London, which she shared with her mother and her friend, the singer Pat Carroll. The two young Australians slept on a blow-up mattress and formed the duo Pat and Olivia, playing clubs and pubs until Carroll's visa ran out. By 1970 she was sunbathing in the big back garden of a Georgian-style house in Hertfordshire that she shared with her then-fiancé, Bruce Welch of The Shadows, and playing with her red setter, Geordie.

After Grease made her a global star in 1978, she bought a Malibu ranch, where she lived for nearly 18 years. In the early '80s she added a large retreat in Australia and kept it for almost four decades. Those peaceful places became her refuge after her breast cancer diagnosis in 1992, through the long years in which she campaigned for research and wellness.

This one is about a life rather than a place to visit, but it's a gentle, affectionate portrait.

Our summary of a story from Architectural Digest, published 26 September 2026. Read the original

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