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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Business
Jamie Greer

The Manchester couple who fell in love with their Baltic apartment

The tenants of a Baltic Triangle apartment have expressed their delight about their special home which allows them to see the sun rise every day.

The ECHO's Where I Live series explores one house from across the region each week, exploring what makes a house a home.

Meg Oliver and Oscar Wallis, both 26, live in the Parliament Square apartments in the Baltic Triangle. The centrepiece of their apartment is the large vertical windows in their living room and bedroom which overlook Upper Parliament Street.

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However, it wasn't the view the couple originally wanted. Oscar explained: "At first we wanted the apartment to overlook the Baltic side so we could see the sunset. But we're actually really happy with facing this way because we get to see the sunrise.

He added: "When we first moved, it was summer and seeing the sunrise in the morning was pretty special. I haven't really experienced that before in anywhere I've lived."

He adds that they can see the centre of Liverpool, the Anglican Cathedral, and even Anfield. Meg claims the light and view is perfect for reading.

She said: "I'm quite a big bookworm, so I'll just sit here in the mornings and read and like look outside. It's the best thing ever."

Meg and Oliver's bedroom, with the natural light flowing through (Corbyn John McCallum)

The boundless amounts of natural light in the apartment is matched by its vibrant interior. There is a small drinks display and numerous pieces of artwork adorning the walls.

Meg explained that she wanted to change from the monochrome design she went for in their last apartment around the corner. She said: "I went with loads of colour. With this building, every flat looks similar, so I wanted to make it distinctive."

Italy, the couple's favourite holiday destination, has been made a theme running through the flat. The colourful artwork on the wall depicts the country, while the coffee table and vase are both made there.

Renting can be an obstruction to people making their flat or house a home, but Meg and Oliver have managed it. Meg recently walked into a neighbour's apartment, mistakenly believing it was her own.

It was there that it sunk in how distinctive their apartment is. She explained: "It was the exact same layout, but it felt like I'd stepped into an alternate universe."

She joked: "It didn't even have the same smell as our flat!" Meg found herself there after a trip to the building's gym, which has similarly spectacular views of the city from the treadmills.

Meg also praised the building's other benefits for residents. She added: "The staff on reception are amazing. It's hard not to settle in when you've got like a spa, a gym and a cinema room."

Another reason the couple feel so at home is the location. Both from Greater Manchester, they both discovered the Baltic while Meg was living there while at university in 2018.

The gym on the top floor of the Parliament Square building (Corbyn John McCallum)

Oliver said: "It reminded me of Manchester's Northern Quarter, but the Baltic is very up and coming. I loved that, with the Baltic Creative, they had created a specific place for creatives.

He added: "You've got a lot of different people, venues and artwork. After a holiday abroad now, we really look forward to coming back here."

Meg and Oliver do sound a note of caution about gentrification in the area however. She cited the loss of Constellations and the fate of smaller venues such as the Botanical Garden as particular concerns.

Still, their love for the Baltic and Liverpool generally has not been deterred. They have started an Instagram page, @lifeonthebaltic, documenting the amazing restaurants they have visited in the city and beyond.

Outlining why they started the page, Meg said: "We were posting a lot of food and travel recommendations anyway, so we thought we'd put it all in one place. Posing like a photographer and getting the perfect shots of these places gives me so much joy."

She added: "There's so much to brag about, so why not?"

Oliver argued that, although they post about other destinations such as Lark Lane, it all stems "from our love of the Baltic". He said: "None of our friends from outside Liverpool knew about this area of Liverpool, so it's nice to show it off and give them recommendations."

A photo album of Meg and Oliver on their Italian coffee table (Corbyn John McCallum)

Since starting the page, they have bumped into multiple people who are avid followers, including Meg's hairdresser.

In the future, the couple may decide to move to different places such as Aigburth. But the one certainty is that they don't want to leave the city.

Meg said: "I don't think I could ever leave Liverpool now, it just wouldn't feel right. It feels like home now and I love that."

You can visit the couple's Instagram page here.

Discover, learn, grow. We are Curiously. Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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