Naomi Campbell's Bizarre House Is Nothing Like You'd Imagine
Naomi Campbell is famous for being one of the most successful supermodels of all time. However, she's also the owner of a pretty spectacular — and arguably super-weird — home. Just like Jennifer Aniston's staggering Bel Air abode, David Harbour's unexpected NYC loft, and Ellen DeGeneres' old-world mansion, Campbell seems to like homes that aren't exactly your typical residences. But when it comes to the model, she was once given an island property that's unlike anything you've ever seen before. At the time, Campbell was dating Russian businessman Vladislav Doronin. Thanks to the fact that Doronin is a billionaire, he could afford to buy his girlfriend a pretty impressive gift for her 41st birthday, CNBC reported back in 2011 — that is, a stunning residence in Turkey.
Granted, Campbell and Doronin split up after five years together, according to Luxuo. Then, in 2020, seven years after they'd called it quits, TMZ reported that Doronin had filed a lawsuit against his ex due to the fact that Campbell apparently owed him quite a bit of money after he had loaned her some funds. On top of that, Campbell allegedly hadn't returned more than $3 million worth of Doronin's personal property. As for the island home, Luxuo had noted in 2018 that Campbell was still the owner and if that stands today, then she could certainly claim that she has one of the most unique places on the planet. Read on to find out more!
Naomi Campbell's island home may have been a holiday spot for Cleopatra
There are some seriously stunning islands out there, and that definitely includes the island where Naomi Campbell was gifted a home by (her wildly wealthy now-ex-boyfriend) Vladislav Doronin. Located on what is officially called Sedir Island, the special spot is located in the Gulf of Gökova which can be found in Turkey, according to CNBC. It also happens to be known as Cleopatra Island for a very specific reason.
A popular spot for holidays since the ancient Romans were around, Sedir Island offers visitors a gorgeous sandy beach that is unlike those on other islands in the area. Perhaps, as Luxuo explains, that's because the grains of sand are perfectly round, which is surely why they were apparently imported from North Africa. If that sounds like a lot of work for a special luxury, then you should know that it was apparently the work of Antony for the enjoyment of his lover, Cleopatra, who wanted to enjoy what the island had to offer, but with sand from Egypt.
While both the name and the sand have connections to the legendary queen, that's not the only Egyptian inspiration for Campbell's property. Her house was also directly influenced by the ancient culture.
Naomi Campbell's property is shaped like the Eye of Horus
If you've always found yourself inspired by Naomi Campbell and are interested in emulating the way that she lives, then you might be intrigued by the idea of having a home just like the one that she was supposedly given on Cleopatra Island. However, you would have to be willing to live on a property that's in the shape of an ancient Egyptian symbol: the Eye of Horus.
Boasting a fence or wall that stretches across a wide section of the island in order to create the outline of the eye when seen from above, the property also has what appears to be a boardwalk that makes up the distinctive brow (via InHabitat). In the center of the design, a domed house acts as the eye's iris and pupil. While it's certainly unlike most properties, the journal Cureus notes that the Eye of Horus is familiar to many as an ancient Egyptian symbol of both prosperity and protection, while Britannica adds that it's also associated with health and restoration.
Although that's undeniably intriguing, it's not the only way that Campbell's home offers some pretty amazing protection. However, many of the other features have more to do with protecting the environment.
Naomi Campbell's Egyptian-inspired home is also eco-friendly
The spectacularly unique home that Naomi Campbell received as a surely memorable birthday gift was not only inspired by ancient Egyptian culture, it was also designed with the environment in mind. More specifically, it was created to be a sustainable home when it comes to water, energy, and food. Designed by Spanish architect Luis de Garrido, according to Luxuo, the residence — which was aptly deemed Eco-House Horus and offers its owners a whopping 25 bedrooms — has glazed glass-paneled walls to provide heat directly from the sun while the landscaping and ventilation, in turn, help to keep it from getting too hot. The house was also built with a geothermal system for the model's energy needs, while rainwater is first collected for use before an on-site biological system cleans it up afterward.
While that might make it sound like this house is filled with pricey technology, a representative from de Garrido's firm apparently told CNBC that it's "not an expensive house, compared with the level of this kind of house." They added that the residence "demonstrate[s] that a completely sustainable building [might] be really inexpensive, and also that a self-sufficient building could be obtained by a not too much additional cost (due to a well-studied bioclimatic design)."
Does this home sound too good (or too weird) to be true? Unfortunately, that might be the case.
Is Naomi Campbell's bizarre home even real?
It's not hard to understand why Naomi Campbell's strange home is buzz-worthy. However, it might not actually exist! While Luis de Garrido's website does include details about the house, there's no mention of the model. As for images of the home, they appear to be renderings and not actual photographs. They also show that the residence is supposed to take up a large section of Cleopatra Island with the point of one side stretching toward the beach. It's hard to imagine anyone not being able to spot the property from the water, yet Luxury Property Turkey claims that even though they sail in the area often, they've never seen Eco-House Horus.
That's why the outlet took a closer look at the situation. Heading over to the island in 2017, they found ruins from both Roman and Byzantine times, an amphitheater, and two cafes — but they couldn't find Campbell's house. Asking locals if there had been any signs of Campbell or her rumored residence, they couldn't offer any information. However, a statement that Luxury Property Turkey obtained from Kamil Özer, the former head of the Muğla Ministry of Culture and Tourism president, seems to close the door on this situation. ”The island is a completely protected Turkish open-air museum," Özer explained, adding that "no one, including Naomi Campbell, can hammer one nail into it.”
Don't worry about Campbell, though, because she's done perfectly fine when it comes to her other fabulous home.
Check out Campbell's resort in East Africa's Little Italy
While Naomi Campbell's Cleopatra Island home may or may not exist, that's not the only incredible property that's been associated with the model. While her ex, Vladislav Doronin, went on to have a $140 million "Spaceship House" designed by the late Zaha Hadid built in the middle of a Russian forest, per Business Insider, Campbell is now happily spending part of her time in Kenya. Settling down in the Malindi area, Architectural Digest noted that it's a favorite location for Italian travelers, which is why Campbell told the outlet, "All the locals speak Italian. It's like Little Italy in East Africa."
A private residence which is part of a resort owned by Campbell's friend, AD reported in 2021 that Campbell's home features gorgeous woodwork and vaulted cathedral ceilings, as well as a coconut palm leaf makuti thatched roof. Beyond that, there are private curtained pergolas and a saltwater pool that flows all the way into Campbell's living room. There also happen to be three other pools as well as the beach with "transparent blue" water.
Although the home may sound grand (and it is!), Campbell explained that the airy, open, and oh-so-dreamy abode is "a very calming place," saying, "You don't really want to be on the phone. You're not trying to find a television. You just want to read and be with yourself. It's nice to just have the silence and the crickets." That sounds pretty perfect!