Author: Igor

Outwitting the weather with Joules

Tom Joule started British lifestyle brand Joules in 1989 designing colourful polo shirts. Throughout the years, Tom grew a customer base who appreciated the design and quality details in his clothing, and sold his products at country fairs across the UK. But when the foot-and-mouth crisis struck in 2001, Tom lost his main selling platforms due to many of these fairs closing down and decided to diversify Joules into a mail order business, growing the product range and later opening his first shop in Market Harborough, next to his father’s café.

Joule brought innovation and modern edge into the rather traditional countryside clothing market and today, Joules is one of Britain’s most loved lifestyle brands, producing clothing, accessories and homewares.

There are some great lessons to be learnt from Tom’s business story and his ability to innovate and adapt to change. That’s why we were excited when Joules approached us to ask if we wanted to test something from the men’s range. We picked the Rainier mac coat and the Ewan jumper, and took them with us on a morning off in Edinburgh.

We decided that the best way to test the clothes, and see if they could help us outwit the weather, was to wear them on a hike up Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s own dormant volcano from where you you can enjoy breathtaking views of the city. If you have visited Scotland in January, you probably know that the weather isn’t too pleasant around this time of the year, but despite the wind and cold temperatures, the Rainier coat and the Ewan jumper managed to keep us warm and let us enjoy the city views!

February 1, 2015
Girls on Film Vol.2 Book Giveaway

To celebrate the launch of the new Girls on Film book, published by Future Positive co-founder Igor Termenón with Korean publisher SSE Project, we are giving away one copy of the book on our Instagram profile. Keep on reading and find out how to enter the giveaway after the photos!

Girls on Film Vol.2 Book features film photography portfolios by 14 photographers and interviews with these photographers, providing an insight into their practice, inspirations and future projects.

The list of featured photographers includes established and up-and-coming names such as Andrew Nuding, Berta Pfirsich, Bradford Gregory, Danielle Suzanne, David Gomez, Harry Were, Katherine Squier, Katie Silvester, Kitty Riddell, Lukasz Wierzbowski, Megan Cullen, Nina Ahn, Stella Berkofsky and Thomas Slack.

You can find more information about Girls on Film and the book at:

www.girlsonfilmzine.co.uk

To enter the giveaway, just visit our Instagram profile, follow us, find the photo below and leave a comment in the form of an emoji combination that shows how much your want the book. The best emoji combination will win a copy of Girls on Film Vol.2 Book!

A winner will be chosen between all comments posted before February 6th 2015. Good luck!

www.instagram.com/futurepositive_

January 19, 2015
Buying Office Furniture

If you take a look on the Internet today you will see that there is a massive choice available when it comes to office furniture. This article will discuss contract furniture further and touch upon the flexible choices available to businesses in the current day and age. Along with the furniture, the office walls stand at equal importance, get some ideas for the office walls here.

Finding the perfect furniture for you is easy

The wealth of choice available these days ensures that businesses are able to find the perfect furniture for them. Furniture that matches in with their budget, which coincides with the design of their offices and which that reflects their business aptly. You can even choose to brand with the furniture you buy through matching it with the colours incorporated into your company’s logo. The great thing about the vast choice available is the fact that it allows businesses to be individual and stand out from the crowd. You don’t have to worry about walking into one office space and finding furniture which looks identical to yours. For instance, If you are looking for serving carts for your office, check Nathan James.

Quality and flexibility are essential

Nevertheless, you do need to be careful when it comes to purchasing contract office furniture. Just because the choice is diversified does not mean you should go for the most unusual pieces of furniture you can find. Instead, you should be looking for pieces that provide with flexibility. What if you move offices? What if you redecorate? Will these pieces of furniture still look ok? The answer to this should be yes. Furthermore, you do need to remember that you have to generate a professional vibe, and the typical sophisticated office chairs and desks allow you to do this. You may want to think about hiring an art consultant for the perfect finishing touch, creating a show-stopping yet professional and branded vibe.

In addition to this, one attribute you should always be looking out for is quality. Make sure the furniture boasts a high-quality fabric for example. You may even want to consider going for stain resistant covers as well. After all, your furniture is going to be utilised on a daily basis. It needs to be able to withstand any general wear and tear. Moreover, if your furniture is compromised i.e. someone spills something on it, then you need to make sure the stains and alike can be dealt with easily. This is why people tend to go for dark colours, such as black, because any dirt or stains do not show. Furthermore, this is why material like leather is recommended – it is easy to clean. This flexibility offers you greater ease and convenience.

To finish, if you take a look on the internet then you will see that there is a huge number of different contract office furniture pieces to choose from. Nevertheless, you need to ensure your choice is flexible; both in terms of design and maintenance too. The last thing you want to do is limit yourself because you have picked an awkward style and design of furniture.

January 14, 2015
Top 5 Incredible Places to Visit in Barcelona That You Shouldn’t Miss

If this beauty of Spain is your next destination, these are some of the places that, when seen, leave an unforgettable memory.

Barcelona is said to be a magical city and represents a visual delight and atmosphere that combines elegance and refinement with Catalan charm.

Its streets reveal a medieval romance in her Gothic neighborhood and her breath pauses with a look at the architecture of Gaudi and his contemporaries. This is just enough reason to wonder when to travel and what to see in Barcelona.

Made of art, Barcelona is one of the few cities whose appearance has for the most part been shaped by an artist who, through his creative spirit, has given her unique, distinctive and recognizable sights.

Barcelona sights do not end with beautiful Gaudi creations, but this gem of Spain will knock off the feet of every visitor with its diverse architecture, neighborhoods, streets, long sandy beaches.

Image via Unsplash

Here are 5 incredible places to visit if you are in Barcelona, that you shouldn’t miss:

Placa de Catalunya

When you say: “Barcelona City Center” is mostly referring to this square. The square occupies about 50,000 square meters, is circular and has 9 streets, of which 2 are the most famous in Barcelona:

La Rambla (wide promenade in the center of the old part of the city) and Passeig de Gracia which is considered the most glamorous street in Barcelona. In this picturesque square several statues and fountains “look” at each other, there are several metro and bus lines next to the square, and there is a train station underground.

El Corte Ingles, the largest shopping mall chain in Spain, is also located here. The Placa de Catalunya is certainly a place worth visiting and you will be hard to miss, even if you were in Barcelona for only one day.

La Sagrada Familia

What will leave you breathless in fairytale Barcelona is one of the most interesting sights of Catalonia – the Church of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) designed by architect Antonio Gaudi and which has become synonymous with the city of Barcelona. Started in 1882 and unfinished to date, it has been the subject of much controversy. It is considered Gaudi’s masterpiece.

He worked on it until his death in 1926. Such grandeur and work with so many details are nowhere to be seen. It’s just something indescribable.

However many times you have seen the Sagrada Familia in pictures, the feeling of seeing it live is unmatched.

Columbus Monument

The colorful walk from Catalonia Square to La Ramblas Street ends with the Gate of Peace on which the Columbus Monument is located, erected in honor of the famous sailor who discovered the New World in 1392 in search of India. The right hand outstretched on the statue is pointing in the direction of Genoa, which is in the opposite direction to America.

And, if you wish, you can climb up to Christopher, at an altitude of 87m and soak up the view of the whole of Barcelona, the pearl of the Mediterranean.

Park Guell

Another strong reason to travel to Barcelona, and what sights and attractions to visit.

Barcelona will seem unreal if you also visit the famous Gaudi’s, Park Guell. This is one of the world’s most impressive artificial landscapes and the perfect place for your photography.

Guell Park is the place where Gaudi’s ideas about the unity of art and nature are best realized. It extends over several hectares of green space in northwestern Barcelona.

Everything is mushroom-shaped in this park, it is an unusual place, so when you enter you might think that you came to shoot an interesting fairy tale.

So at the entrance, you will be greeted by two houses whose shape is reminiscent of illustrations from popular picture books and you will be greeted by the famous lizard standing along the stairs. They lead to a hall with pillars resting on a terrace on the surface of which a long, undulating wall is formed, which is the longest bench in the world.

From the terrace, you have a beautiful view of the city and the sea. The park also houses the Gaudi House Museum, which displays many sketches by this remarkable artist and sculptor.

Park Ciutadella

This large 30ha park is also home to the Barcelona Zoo. About 7,500 animals, represented through 400 species, are on an area that occupies about 13 acres of the park.

Some of the most famous animals in this garden are gorillas, orangutans, dolphins, wolves, snow leopards, crocodiles, and alligators. The former zoo star and attraction, the albino gorilla is known as Snowflake, died in 2004.

The park also has a small lake, a popular spot where you can rent a boat and paddle. There are several statues in the park, most notably the huge stone mammoth and metal cat.

At the northern corner of the park is the imposing fountain La Cascada (Cascade) built for the 1888 Universal Exhibition.

These are just some of the most famous places and attractions which to see this amazing city. Of course, if you stay longer, you can see in detail the best sites to see in Barcelona.

Mas Que un club, the slogan of one of the largest football clubs in the world – Barcelona. Meaning: “More than a club.” If you ask me then the city of Barcelona is Mas Que un Ciudad or “More than a city”.

January 13, 2015
6 ideas to personalize your house on a budget

Even though home décor magazines make redecorating the home look like a dream, we all know that that’s not really the case. The look of their sleek kitchens and warm bedrooms could make anyone feel the urge to make their own home look just as beautiful. But to get that look, it’ll probably take thousands of dollars (at the least).

But even though those picturesque homes seem perfect, if you even had the budget to make yours look like that, would you? Probably not. And that’s because your home isn’t just a pretty place to look at, it’s also yours.

The best part of re-decorating a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom or using specialists like DBI Basement Conversion are the personal touches. It’ll make your place feel more comfortable and homey. Things like kitchen splashbacks just finish the room off. You can get them from Simply Plastics.

If you’ve ever gone through this before, you already know that it’s a little more complicated than it sounds. Finding the right balance between your budget and what you want can take a while.

And if you’re impatient, a full home renovation is out the question. Those can take weeks. And considering the number of surprise challenges that might arise, those weeks can quickly change into months. But, don’t be discouraged, you can find some quick ideas like these from Kitchen & Bathroom Creations.

So, how do you change up your home on a budget? How do you make it scream you without breaking the bank or taking months?

But let’s not forget the last primary issue that people deal with: what if you’re not really good at decorating? In other words, it’s one thing to have a vision of your dream place, but what if you can’t execute it? Or what if you just have a general feeling of how your home will feel but don’t know how to get it there?

The best way is to start small and simple. Figure out some themes that you like, such as color palettes. Also, think about the furniture that you’re planning around.

An easy way to get going is to consider small additions.

Many people underestimate the power of an accent piece to really bring together a room. And this is where you can throw in personal touches. It’s cheaper, and you can get a lot out of it.

But even with this advice, where should you start? If you need some more help, here are 6 ideas that will help you personalize your house on a budget? You can also check out organizedworktips.com for more home DIY tips and ideas.

1. A wall frame set

A wall frame set can allow you to show off some of your favorite memories. You can use them to display your family vacations, weddings, or even commemorate past generations.

The benefit of buying frames in a set is that they already match one another, so you don’t have to worry about buying a bunch of frames and then realizing they don’t look good together.

The Kate and Laurel Bordeaux 10 piece wood frame set comes in a variety of beautifying neutral colors, that’ll make your memories the star of the show. The complete set runs at about $80, making the frames less than $10 per piece.

2. Hanging planters

Hanging planters are a beautiful way to bring in some fresh air and a pop of nature. They’re a nice way to make a plain wall feel less empty.

The Umbra Trigg Hanging Planter Vase and Geometric Wall Décor Container is a beautiful set of two that comes in a variety of colors so that you can match it to any color scheme.

If you’re worried about taking care of a plant, you can plant succulents, which are easy to care for. You could also use fake plants so that you don’t have to take care of them at all.

3. Himalayan glow pink crystal salt lamp (Cool Things Chicago)

Himalayan salt lamps are beautiful. They add such a unique, Earthy tone to any room, and their amber color feels so warm.

Not only are these lamps a great way to decorate, but many people like them, because they’re known to have a variety of health benefits. While these claims are up for debate, even if they’re not true, at least you have a beautiful addition to your home!

The Himalayan Glow Pink Crystal Salt Lamp was even mentioned in Cool Things Chicago’s list, ’37 Amazing Gifts That Will Make Your Favorite Woman Super Happy.’

But if you have pets, be wary! Pets are known to lick these salt lamps, and this can lead to salt poisoning.

4. A light-up electronic word clock

Everyone needs a clock in their home, but why settle for something plain and boring. The Sharper Image Light Up Electronic Word Clock is chic and unique. It comes in two finishes, black, and copper so that you can pick the best one for your home.

It’s also a great clock for the bedroom, office, or kitchen, making it a versatile purchase. And it won’t break the bank, because you can get it online for $31.99.

5. Custom Star Map

A Twinkle in Time custom star map is one of the best ways to make your home personal. When you order one of their maps, you get to pick a specific day, and Twinkle in Time will produce a star map of the sky on that exact day. You can also add text to the star map, such as a location or a special message.

With Twinkle’s in Time’s star map, you’ll have a beautiful wall decoration that memorializes a special day in your life.

6. Relaxation fountain

Imagine sitting at home and hearing the faint sound of water trickling down rocks. It’s calming, and it feels as if you’re in a quiet forest near a stream.

This is why HoMedics’s Silver Springs Indoor Relaxation Fountain is a great addition to your home. It’s small enough to fit on your counter or your bedroom shelf. It even lights up, adding a soothing glow to any room you put it in.

The fountain can be purchased for less than $25, making it reasonably priced, especially for all the amazing features it’ll add to your house.

So if you’ve felt that redecorating is a daunting process, hopefully, these tips and suggestions will help you make your home feel more like you. You no longer have to sacrifice what you want for your budget, and these amazing items truly demonstrate that.

These pieces are also great because they work in any home. They’re easy to match with any theme and can be customized to make your house feel exactly how you want it to.

While these suggestions span a wide range, there are many other options you could look into. If you didn’t find anything among this list, hopefully, it at least inspired you.

January 1, 2015