Noor: Why did you decide to open Makers?
I've loved chocolate my whole life - it’s always been part of my daily ritual. I grew up in Lebanon in a family that believed in cooking from scratch and eating clean, long before it was called that. If we wanted dessert, my Mum made sure we baked it ourselves. That’s where I learned that flavour and nutrition don’t have to be at odds. That mindset never left me. When I started teaching myself how to make chocolate, I realised how much conventional chocolate relies on ingredients that aren’t great for you: refined sugar, seed oils, wheat, dairy, artificial additives, colourings and preservatives. So I wanted to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of artisan luxury chocolate world using better for you, health conscious and clean ingredients, without ever compromising on incredible taste. If you're going to eat it everyday, it should be guilt-free and clean!

Rosie: What was the inspiration behind the interiors of Makers?
We wanted the space to feel like you were stepping into someone’s home. Nothing too clinical or over-styled. It was important for it to feel layered, welcoming, and lived in.

Noor: What makes your chocolate different from others?
Every single element, from the praliné to the ganache to the feuilletine, is made in-house, from scratch. We use no refined sugar, dairy, wheat, seed oils, or artificial additives, colourings and preservatives. But the biggest difference? You don’t miss any of it. Our Executive Chef, Alex, comes from a traditional haute chocolaterie background and has re-engineered everything to feel luxurious and taste exquisite, just with better ingredients. Not using the conventional ingredients most luxury chocolatiers use made it a technical challenge in the truest sense. But that was the fun part. Working within strict limitations pushed us into real invention. It’s a scientific process, timings, temperatures, textures and we thrive on that level of precision.

Rosie: Did you draw from any particular eras, cultures, materials, or visual references?
There’s a subtle Lebanese influence throughout, and we were intentional about incorporating Ikat patterns into the design. We also wanted Noor to have a strong voice in the process, so she was closely involved - especially when it came to selecting the specific Delft tiles we used.

Noor: How do you think the interiors influence how people perceive the chocolate?
I think the moment you step inside, you get it. The calm, the elegance, the detail sets the tone for the experience. Our interiors aren’t just beautiful for beauty’s sake; they reflect the same care, craftsmanship, refinement and playfulness we bring to our chocolates.

Rosie: How did the idea of chocolate — its texture, richness, or history — inform your interiors choices?
While we didn’t take a literal approach, we did think about richness and depth - how materials layered together could mirror the complexity of chocolate. We chose finishes and details that felt tactile, warm, and a little indulgent.

Photography Mike Garlic Ltd

Noor: What kind of story do you think the design tells about Makers?
That craftsmanship still matters. That luxury can feel personal, not distant. That there's joy in things made well, whether it's a bonbon or a hand-painted tile!

Rosie: Was it important that the interiors reflected the luxurious chocolate?
The goal was more about creating a backdrop that complemented the chocolates without overpowering them. We wanted the space to be inviting enough to draw people in and make them feel at ease, curious enough to explore and hopefully indulge.

Photography Mike Garlic Ltd

Noor: How did the idea of chocolate—its texture, richness, or history—inform your choices?
Chocolate is sensual by nature: the shine, the snap, the melt. That tactile richness guided a lot of the materials, fabric, marbles, inlays, aged brass. There’s also a reverence to chocolate, and we wanted the space to feel like a tiny temple to that experience, but not too serious. Chocolate should be fun too.

Noor: Was there a specific mood or feeling you wanted people to experience when they walked in?
Yes, warmth. A feeling of being looked after. We’re not trying to rush anyone through a transaction. Whether you’re popping in for a bonbon or staying for a hot drink, we want you to feel like time slowed down just a little and that you can take the time to savour and discover.

Noor: Was it important to you that the interiors reflected your luxurious chocolate?
Absolutely. You eat with your eyes first. It wouldn’t make sense to craft these intricate, beautiful chocolates and serve them in a space that didn’t match that care. The interiors are an extension of the product, a love letter to detail.

Noor: What made you decide to use our Delft tiles as the counter front?
Your tiles were love at first sight!! They had humour, heritage, and that rare handmade magic. I loved that each one told a tiny story, just like our chocolates. They added this instant character to the space, a wink amidst the elegance.

Photography Mike Garlic Ltd

Rosie: What made you decide to use Delft tiles for the counter front?
The brand colour is ‘Makers Blue,’ so Delft tiles felt like a natural way to bring that in. Their durability made them a practical choice, and their pattern added a sense of character and history, but in a fresh, unexpected way.

Noor: Which Delft design is your favourite?
It’s hard to choose, but I have a soft spot for the Wild Strawberries and the Evil Eye. One feels nostalgic and sweet, the other protective and symbolic, both feel deeply personal. And of course, the Lebanese flag a nod to my heritage!

Rosie: Which Delft design is your favourite?
It’s so hard to choose, but if we had to pick, it would probably be the Evil Eye!