Claudia Schiffer lives in Coldham Hall, one of the most fascinating celebrity homes in England. The German supermodel and her husband, filmmaker Matthew Vaughn — best known for directing the Kingsman films — call Coldham Hall their primary residence. Yes, Claudia Schiffer lives in Suffolk in a stunning Tudor manor dating back to 1574. The 530-acre estate showcases perfect harmony between historical preservation and modern family living, making it a standout among celebrity properties. Coldham Hall’s rich history, combined with Schiffer’s growing influence in home design, creates a compelling story of how an ancient house continues to inspire creative work.
What makes this property truly special isn’t just its famous owner, but how the historic building has shaped Schiffer’s expanding design empire. Her latest home collections directly reflect elements from both her Suffolk estate and childhood memories, creating a fascinating connection between home and creative work. In 2025, as Schiffer launches new home decor lines inspired by her surroundings, Coldham Hall remains at the heart of her creative process. The historic property has become more than just a family residence – it’s the foundation of her growing business ventures, much like how Jennifer Lawrence’s house also reflects her style and sensibilities.
The Rich History of Coldham Hall
Coldham Hall’s story began long before Claudia Schiffer arrived. Built in 1574, the impressive Grade I listed building features a distinctive H-shaped design, reportedly constructed as a tribute to King Henry VIII.
Local legend claims Queen Elizabeth I named the property “Coldham Hall” after being served cold ham during her stay. This charming origin story adds to the estate’s mystique and historical significance in the Suffolk countryside. The manor’s most notorious resident was Ambrose Rookwood, a key figure in the failed 1605 Gunpowder Plot who was later executed for his involvement. This dramatic chapter gives the property a place in British political history few celebrity homes can match.
For centuries, the estate passed through various owners, including Richard Duce and David Hart, an adviser to Margaret Thatcher. Claudia Schiffer and her husband, filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, currently live at Coldham Hall, joining a long line of notable residents who have called this Tudor treasure home. Coldham Hall represents a remarkable preservation of Tudor architecture, with historical features carefully maintained despite centuries of different owners. The property’s transition from political significance to celebrity showpiece reflects changing priorities across English history.
Local folklore adds another layer of intrigue, with tales of a secret tunnel running from Coldham Hall to nearby Lawshall Hall. These stories enhance the property’s mystique and historical appeal for architecture enthusiasts.
Tudor Manor Today
While the family keeps details private, it’s known that Claudia Schiffer’s children have attended schools in both London and Suffolk, reflecting the family’s dual-city lifestyle.
Original features like the great hall and long gallery remain intact, with the gallery stretching an impressive 32 meters through the roof space. These grand spaces connect today’s residents with the home’s Tudor origins and architectural significance.
The property includes multiple buildings across its 530 acres, creating a private sanctuary away from public attention. This extensive layout provides the family with both security and the peaceful countryside lifestyle they value. Schiffer has mentioned hearing “creaking noises” and experiencing unexplained music playing, adding a supernatural element to the historic property. However, she reassured an interviewer that a medium declared all the house’s ghosts to be “lovely,” suggesting these spiritual residents are welcome neighbors.
Internal renovations through the centuries include a Roman Catholic chapel with delicate plasterwork added around 1770, showcasing how each generation of owners has left their mark. The property’s religious history reflects changing times in England, adding cultural depth to its physical spaces. The family values privacy, with Schiffer once stating, “Matthew and I are very private people. The kind of entertaining we like to do is at home.” This preference for home-based gatherings makes Coldham Hall not just a residence but the center of their social world.
While Schiffer’s Tudor manor may seem uniquely grand, it shares certain qualities with other celebrity retreats like Mark Cuban’s house, where privacy and personal expression blend with luxury and distinctive architecture.
16th-Century Home
Maintaining a 16th-century Grade I listed building presents unique challenges that even celebrity status can’t overcome. In 2024, local authorities rejected the couple’s application to relocate electrical sockets from the floor to wall panels.
West Suffolk Council denied their request because drilling into potentially historic oak paneling could damage significant architectural elements. This decision highlights how preservation requirements can impact even basic home improvements in protected buildings.
The couple cited safety concerns, arguing that floor sockets created trip hazards and restricted furniture placement. They also worried about liquid spills damaging electrical fixtures, demonstrating practical modern challenges in ancient buildings.
Conservation officers maintained that these safety concerns could be addressed without altering historic features. This tension between preservation and practicality demonstrates the ongoing balancing act faced by owners of historically significant properties.
Eventually, Schiffer and Vaughn withdrew their application rather than pursue alternative solutions. Their experience reveals how celebrities, despite their resources, must navigate the same regulatory frameworks as any owner of a protected historic building.
Previous approved renovations included heating system improvements and creating a coat and boot room from an old boiler room. These successful projects show that sympathetic changes can receive approval when they respect the building’s historical integrity.
Schiffer’s Creative Journey
Claudia Schiffer’s home has become the creative wellspring for her expanding design business. The countryside surrounding Coldham Hall directly influences her product designs, particularly her collections with Portuguese brands Bordallo Pinheiro and Vista Alegre.
In 2025, Schiffer’s home decor ventures continue growing following successful earlier releases. Her products increasingly reflect both her English surroundings and childhood memories from growing up near the River Rhine in Germany.
“I’m exploring an expansion into linens — such as tablecloths, napkins, and runners — as well as glassware,” Schiffer revealed in a March 2025 interview. Her plans also include partnering with a fragrance house to create candles, further expanding her home goods empire.
The transition from supermodel to home design creator demonstrates how Schiffer has evolved her career while drawing inspiration from her environment. This authentic connection between her home and products creates a compelling brand story for consumers.
Her designs reflect what she genuinely uses in her own home, giving products authenticity in the competitive home goods market. This personal connection strengthens consumer trust and distinguishes her collections from celebrity brands with less genuine connections.
What’s particularly interesting is how Schiffer blends influences from both her German childhood and current English country life. This dual heritage creates distinctive designs that appeal to international markets beyond just British or German consumers.
The Gudrun Collection
Schiffer’s most significant recent design achievement is “Gudrun,” launched in 2024 in partnership with Vista Alegre and Bordallo Pinheiro. This collection, named after her late mother, features distinctive autumn-inspired motifs drawn directly from Coldham Hall’s surroundings.
Oak leaves, acorns, and playful squirrels appear throughout the seven-piece porcelain dinnerware range. These elements reflect what Schiffer sees daily from her windows, creating a direct connection between her home environment and consumer products.
Rich autumnal colors dominate the collection, from forest green to mustard, chestnut, and crimson. These natural tones capture the seasonal transformation that makes the English countryside so visually striking throughout the year.
The collection marks a rare collaboration between the two Portuguese brands, with Vista Alegre focusing on refined porcelain while Bordallo Pinheiro contributes more playful, figurative ceramic pieces. This partnership approach allows for diverse product styles under one cohesive theme.
Schiffer describes the inspiration in deeply personal terms: “Watching the squirrels from my bedroom window, collecting acorns while my mother gathered the fall leaves.” These childhood memories combine with her current surroundings to create emotionally resonant designs.
For Bordallo Pinheiro specifically, Schiffer created hand-painted pieces featuring woodland creatures like foxes and woodpeckers. These whimsical elements add personality to functional items, elevating everyday dining with artistic touches.
As of March 2025, industry reports confirm the Gudrun collection continues performing well commercially. Its success has encouraged Schiffer to explore additional home goods categories, expanding her influence in the luxury homeware market.
Home Design Empire
Claudia Schiffer’s journey into home design began with a thoughtful gift. Portuguese friends gave her a Bordallo Pinheiro cheese plate decorated with ceramic mice, sparking her interest in the brand’s distinctive aesthetic.
This personal connection led her to approach the company directly about collaboration possibilities. Her initiative demonstrates how authentic interest, rather than mere celebrity endorsement, formed the foundation of her design career.
Her first collection, “Cloudy Butterflies,” launched in 2020, featured decorative ceramic pieces adorned with colorful butterflies. The initial success encouraged expansion into functional dinnerware, showing her growing confidence in the home goods market.
What distinguishes Schiffer’s design work is how she blends her celebrity status with genuine creative input. Unlike celebrity-branded products with minimal personal involvement, her collections reflect her actual aesthetic preferences and lifestyle.
Her expanding product range now includes ceramics, porcelain, and planned additions in linens, glassware, and candles. This diversification shows strategic business growth based on proven success rather than random celebrity merchandising.
When not developing home collections, Schiffer works on fashion and beauty partnerships for her husband’s films. Her involvement in successful ventures like the Kingsman clothing line for Mr Porter demonstrates her broader business acumen beyond modeling.
Schiffer’s home-centered focus aligns with her current life phase, with her youngest daughter still at home. This authentic reflection of her priorities creates relatable products for consumers who share similar values around home and family.
Living with History
Owning a home with centuries of history creates a unique living experience. Schiffer and Vaughn aren’t just homeowners – they’re custodians of a significant piece of English architectural heritage that will outlast their residency.
The property’s connection to the Gunpowder Plot adds dramatic historical context to everyday life. Imagine making morning coffee in a home once owned by someone executed for attempting to blow up Parliament and kill King James I.
Local legends about secret tunnels and ghostly residents add mystery to the property. These stories connect today’s occupants with generations of previous residents who experienced the same spaces in vastly different historical contexts.
The family must balance modern living needs with preservation responsibilities, creating practical challenges few homeowners face. Simple changes like updating electrical systems require navigating complex approval processes to protect historical features.
Despite these challenges, the rewards of living in such a historically significant property are substantial. The architectural details, spatial grandeur, and connection to English history create an unparalleled living environment that standard luxury homes cannot match.
For Schiffer specifically, the property provides both privacy and creative inspiration. The seclusion allows her family protection from public attention, while the natural surroundings fuel her expanding design work with authentic influences.
The estate’s evolution from Tudor power center to celebrity creative headquarters shows how historic properties remain relevant across centuries. Coldham Hall continues inspiring creative work just as it has for nearly 450 years, with each generation finding new meaning in its spaces.
Conclusion
Claudia Schiffer’s house represents more than just another celebrity mansion. Coldham Hall stands as a living connection between Tudor England and contemporary design, with its ancient walls now inspiring modern home collections sold worldwide.
The property’s rich history provides an unmatched foundation for creative work. Few designers can claim their products draw direct inspiration from a 16th-century architectural masterpiece that they call home.
As Schiffer expands her home design empire in 2025, Coldham Hall remains central to her creative vision. The estate’s natural surroundings, historical features, and personal significance continue to inform new product designs across multiple categories.
For architecture enthusiasts and home design lovers, Schiffer’s property offers a fascinating case study in how historic buildings remain relevant. The house demonstrates that with respectful stewardship, centuries-old properties can inspire contemporary creativity.
The family’s commitment to preserving Coldham Hall ensures this architectural treasure will endure for future generations. Their careful balance of modern living with historical preservation sets an admirable example for other owners of significant heritage properties.
Ultimately, Claudia Schiffer’s house tells a story of continuity across centuries. From Tudor origins through the Gunpowder Plot to today’s design inspirations, Coldham Hall demonstrates how great architecture transcends time, remaining meaningful and inspiring across generations. For those interested in other famous residences that blend history with modern celebrity life, Kylie Jenner’s house in Hidden Hill offers another fascinating study in contemporary luxury design.
