The Coworking Diaries #13 - Kreativ House, Hackney Central

This month, I paid a visit to Kreativ House - Hackney Central's newest coworking space.

Hackney Central. Home to some of the capital's coolest bars, clubs, cafés...and coworking spaces. One of the newest locations to hit the scene is Kreativ House, a boutique flexible workspace containing both private offices and a coworking space. It opened its newly refurbished doors in October last year after being home to the local council's HR department for a number of years.

Location-wise, KH couldn't be better placed - it's so central, I walked past it twice! To put it in context for those local to the area, it's literally beside the 277 bus stop on the way to Mile End. For those who aren't so familiar with this part of Hackney, it's opposite the town hall and a three minute walk from Hackney Central Overground Station. Two if you're a quick walker like me.

Considering that KH has only been open for a few months, the sense of community and 'homeliness' within the space is strong. After traipsing through the notorious Beast from the East, I was greeted on arrival by Co-founder Angus Klobas and Head of Membership Tom Hammond, who provided a warm welcome and a much-appreciated cup of fresh coffee, courtesy of Ozone Coffee Roasters.

KH has deviated from the conventional reception set-up that can sometimes come across detached in its formality, and have built an on-site café in its place. This makes for a more relaxed, collaborative feel and is an attractive feature for those welcoming clients on a regular basis.

Below, Co-founder Simon Klobas sheds some light on what separates Kreativ Space from other coworking spaces in East London.

Hey Simon! What does your role at Kreativ House involve and what's the most exciting aspect of it?

People People People! We have some of the most interesting, talented and kind people come through our doors and we love making so many new friends. I designed the space to really create a harmonious, welcoming vibe whilst ensuring that it’s a place where these people can come to work, create and focus without distraction. We really look forward to extending this approach further in our next sites to help deliver better value to more businesses.

What sets Kreativ House apart from its competitors?

Kreativ House keeps it simple - we're an office! We cut out the fuss and focus on the things that actually add more value to a small business. We deliver these in a boutique, carefully designed space with a service that’s specifically tailored to the needs of each of our clients.

Whether it’s designing a bespoke studio for a fashion label or welcoming a leading design agency's client into the space as if they were our own, we help businesses become better commercial entities. These details add real value to our residents, free of all the gimmicks, so they can focus on what they do best.

Do you have a 'typical' resident? If so, how would you describe them?

Given our boutique approach, we have a rich mix of businesses and talent in the space. All our clients are leading in their field, and have a creative professional service focus. These range from a luxury bridal boutique [see below], a leading food & beverage design agency and a sustainable furniture manufacturer, right through to us being the London HQ of a kick-ass LA-based feature film production company.

Why should someone consider Kreativ House over a larger flexible workspace operator?

Why would you stay at a Premier Inn when you could stay at the Ace Hotel (and pay less)?!

Let's take a look around:

A curated library comprised of on-trend non-fiction adorns the shelves of the coworking area.

A window into the adjoining cafe creates spaciousness and adds interest to the room.

...It also makes for a great Instagram post!

Open to both residents and non-residents, the on-site boardroom doubles up as an art gallery showcasing exhibitions on rotation. While I was there, 'Letters to Lost Lovers' were on display, each containing personal accounts of love, loss, romance and heartbreak.

Kreativ House's art curator is Ryan Lanji - Portraits by East London's infamous drag queen Jacqui Potato are on display in the gallery through March and April 2018.

The shared kitchen area provides the perfect place to have lunch, take a phone call, or relax with a coffee and coworkers.

Nestled away amongst the private offices on the upper floors is a boutique wedding dress company. Other occupiers include a childcare company and a business that makes eye-catching products from recycled materials, including old phone screens.