Supermodel and recent mother Naomi Campbell has broken down barriers, stormed catwalks, and graced innumerable magazine covers throughout the course of her incredible 35-year career. Even with her hectic schedule, she is motivated by her work and finds fulfillment in it.
But even icons require rest periods. And when it’s time to switch off completely, Campbell goes to her Kenyan villa in the peaceful coastal town of Malindi. Her primary retreat from the hectic pace of her adopted New York City and her native London has been her stunning home with views of the Indian Ocean for almost two decades. The pinnacle of indoor-outdoor living is this.
The spacious area honors informal opulence with its warm earth tones and abundance of natural light. “It’s a very calming place,” she said. It’s really best not to talk on the phone. I take it you’re not looking for a TV? Reading is all you want to do to relax. The complete quiet and the sound of crickets are soothing.
For a fast morning swim, head to the saltwater pool that stretches outside from the middle of her living room. Family-style dinners under the twin voile-curtained pergolas are a fantastic fit when the model is entertaining.
The makuti thatched roof and the soaring cathedral ceiling made of sun-dried coconut palm leaves particularly excite Campbell. Makuti roofs, which are made by hand using an intricate layering technique, are said to have been a common building material in East Africa for thousands of years.
“We’ve had this one for at least 12 years, and it’s still in good shape,” she declares with pride.Things can deteriorate quickly here because of the air, wind, and sea salt, but the author noted that despite this, it has held up so beautifully and is almost like a work of art in and of itself.
The large, brilliant Moroccan and Egyptian latika lamps hang from the rafters. While Campbell loves to browse for furniture all throughout Africa, Marrakech and Cairo have proven to be the most successful for her.
Campbell doesn’t have to go far to find quality woodworking. She claims, “A lot of the wood furniture we have in the house is made in Malindi.” In actuality, the back of the house included a workshop.