Model, mother, and trailblazer Naomi Campbell has broken barriers, ruled the catwalk, and graced the pages of innumerable magazines over her incredible 35-year career. She is motivated by her career and finds delight in it, even though she has a demanding schedule.
But even icons require rest periods. Campbell retires to her villa in the peaceful Kenyan seaside village of Malindi whenever she needs to disconnect from the world. She has made her stunning home, which overlooks the Indian Ocean, her principal refuge from the hectic pace of her adopted New York City and her birthplace London, for over twenty years. This is the pinnacle of living in harmony with nature.
The open floor plan honors relaxed luxury with its natural light and soft earth tones. She claims, “It’s a very calming place.” It is advisable that you refrain from having phone conversations. You’re not on the hunt for a television, are you? Reading is your sole means of relaxation. You may unwind to the sound of crickets and complete stillness.
For a refreshing swim first thing in the morning, make your way to the saltwater pool that extends beyond her living room. Under the model’s twin pergolas, adorned with voile curtains, is the ideal setting for casual family dinners.
The tall cathedral ceilings constructed of sun-dried coconut palm leaves and the makuti thatched roof particularly excite Campbell. She asserts that makuti roofs—constructed by hand using an intricate layering technique—have been a common construction material in East Africa for countless generations.
That one has been in our family for twelve years or more, and it’s still going strong, she says with a pleased tone.Things can deteriorate rapidly here due to the air, wind, and sea salt, yet it has held up so well and is nearly an art piece in its own right, the author noted.
Huge, glittering latika lights from Morocco and Egypt hang from the ceiling. In spite of her love of furniture shopping across Africa, Campbell’s greatest luck has come in Cairo and Marrakech.
Obtaining high-quality woodwork does not need Campbell to travel far. She claims that Malindi is the maker of much of the wood furniture in her home. The truth is that the rear of the house actually had a workshop.