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Umbria, Italy
We recently sat down with Juanqi Hu, one of the residents at The Makers, to learn more about her first year in her new home.
Juanqi Hu, resident at The Makers
Why did you choose The Makers?
I think the location for The Makers is great – you have the city nearby and then on the other side there is Shoreditch which has so many excellent pubs and restaurants. I am also close to Kings Cross which is a really convenient transportation hub. The building itself has everything you would need, especially compared to others I have seen. There is a gym and a cinema room and the communal spaces that you can use for work or just to have another space outside of your apartment. I really like the design in both my apartment and in the amenities. There’s a lot of decoration and it’s both luxurious and trendy – when my friends come to visit they often say it’s like a boutique hotel.
What do you think of the building’s interior design?
I really like the wooden surfaces in my apartment. They give the space a lovely background colour for when you are choosing your furniture and they are a nice change from a plain white or black. I feel like the design goes with so much but is also very stylish on its own. The building seems to have a durable design, with lots of different layers and I am always inspired by the design on the ground floor, where nature has seemingly been incorporated throughout. We’re on the border of Shoreditch and the City and The Makers showcases a good combination of both – it’s really responsive and reflective of its location.
The Makers apartment kitchen detail
Juanqi sitting in the Winter Garden room at The Makers
Cinema room
How has the way you have used your apartment changed over time, especially considering the last year?
In the last year it has obviously become more essential to be at home, and even with everything gradually opening up, I still have some nervousness to go to busy spaces. With the gym here and the beautiful cinema room, I feel like I have everything I need. The cinema room design is also very modern, and I love the red / pink colour as this really stands out. All of the amenity spaces have a formal, yet relaxed feel which means I can really find space to do whatever I need.
Which of the amenities is your favourite?
It’s very hard to choose my favourite amenity because I like all of them! I probably use the gym the most and it has everything you need for a healthy lifestyle. I also really like the Common – it’s like an open plan workspace and what surprised me was the two kinds of styles – formal and informal. By having a sofa and a dining table, this has helped me to change my environment when I am studying and working. On the other side, it’s a lot brighter which gives the space a more youthful feel – it’s very instagrammable!
Are there any features that visitors are drawn to?
A lot of visitors compare the spaces to that of a hotel in New York, which I think for a development in London is very unique. As you walk into reception, they tend to have a very positive reaction! They love the plants and the other little touches.
The Winter Garden room
What do you feel is most important to you in choosing a building to live in, and how has this been reflected in The Makers?
The look and feel of a building is very important to me. When you move somewhere you want it to look good not just to you, but to whoever visits you. This building is trendy in its design and you can tell that the finishes are of a good quality. One particular amenity I love is the Winter Garden – in the colder months it’s been great to go somewhere that’s still indoors, but with so much light and with a nice view. You can’t really do the same from your balcony, so this space has been really useful.
London, UK