Ultra Couture Design

The social networking site Facebook surely knows to how to keep the smile on the faces of users and online marketers alike. Without an iota doubt, Facebook has outdone the search engine giant Google on different counts. The fan page of this rapidly expanding social networking site is an incredible tool in promoting your brand and developing your business. So, not only does this internet juggernaut rekindle your friendship with your long lost high school friends but it can also serves as a powerful means to ignite your business growth.

Marketing through Facebook fan page is cheap compared to conventional media and at the same time easy to create and manage. Google with a lion’s share in search engine marketing also indexes Facebook fan pages enabling to draw huge online traffic to your page.  That’s why it is important to update your fan page and website with new, relevant and informative content and blogs.

Fan page is like a combination of personal profile and group with wall, information, pictures, videos, box, note, event etc but also serve as discussion board and group messages. Unlike profile and group fan page can hold on to limitless number of fans, an excellent thumbs-up for business owners who thrive on exposure and fans. For example, if you are promoting your brand on Facebook fan page you will definitely not like restrictions on ‘How many person likes it?’ And, the best part of all is that you can customize fan page using the FBML code through the customization of the wall tabs and the profile tabs. With this, you can also create a fully functional landing page on the fan page and set it as default first page which non-fans can see as the first page. Just like how it goes—Seeing is believing—the popularity of your brand grow as the exposure increases.

 

 

 

 

Manolo Blahnik thought his career was over when his shoes were first featured in a runway show. The legendary footwear designer was devastated when Ossie Clark decided to use his creations in 1972 as he didn't think the shoes were made well enough. He explained: "Ossie was the first person to use my shoes on his catwalk, back in 1972 at The Royal Court Theatre in London. Quite frankly, I thought it was going to end my career. The shoes I made for the show had a sole made of rubber and the heels didn't have any spines, so they kept moving. The models were walking in a very strange way, but, luckily, people thought it was the new way of walking. That was a scary moment!"

"The models were walking in a very strange way, but, luckily, people thought it was the new way of walking"

 

Manolo - who has a host of celebrity fans, with Madonna once describing his footwear as "better than sex" - was discussing his experiences in the industry ahead of the 25th anniversary of London Fashion Week in September.

He admits he draws a lot of inspiration from the capital city, but claims Fashion Week has changed lots since it first began.

He explained to Britain's Marie Claire magazine: "The early fashion weeks were more intimate and naive than they are now - everyone was excited about being creative, rather than thinking of the money they might make."

Designer of the Year Rupert Sanderson took time out of his hectic schedule to talk to us (between designing shoes for Karl Lagerfeld and blogging for Vogue no less). The London-based shoe designer and chairperson of Fashion Fringe Shoes 2008 has been crazy about footwear since his early teens and after studying shoe design at the world-renowned Cordwainers College, honed his skills working with Sergio Rossi and Bruno Magli in Italy. Rupert has since taken his brand on a journey and en route has gathered a dedicated following, enlisting celebrity disciples such as Cheryl Cole and Kate Moss, not to mention two stores in London and a portfolio of high profile stockists around the world. Every style savvy girl knows to head straight to Rupert Sanderson for gorgeous shoes that blend traditional Italian craftsmanship with cool, individual style. And a fact you may not have known: To compliment his obsessive passion with the Italian craft of shoe-making, every pair of Rupert Sanderson shoes is named after a Daffodil. How very British… Who is the Rupert Sanderson woman? Confident and clever, she is someone who has the confidence to shop outside the usual brand because in her daily life she makes decisions based on her own independence of mind. A woman of some substance who relishes the sex appeal of a great shoe. How do you get inspiration for your label? From working in family run Italian shoe businesses. The inspiration for particular shoes can literally come from anywhere: from the leather and forms themselves to the simplest of things - a child’s toy, elastic band rolled on a table, neck line of a starlet’s dress… the list is endless!

Inspiration for your Autumn/Winter 2009?

Geo Ponti cutlery and Lego!

What’s your favourite thing about London?

Feeling that I am truly part of it - we live in London, have shops in London, my wife commissions short stories for the wonderful Royal Parks of London (which I feel are the lungs of this great city).

How did it feel to win Accessory Designer of the Year at the Elle style awards?

Great. Vindication of all the hard work, from everybody for everybody. Elle have always been a stellar supporter of my work, and I appreciated the honour.

As a blogger for Vogue, could you recommend other fashion blogs?

There really are so many good fashion blogs out there – the list is endless. I’m particularly fond of Susie Lau’s StyleBubble – her knack for picturing cool things and her personal style is second to none. Joe Wong also has a great site. I read Justine Picardie’s blog regularly. I also love the street shots from The Satorialist, Garance Dore , and Shot by shooter - which can be really inspirational to me at times.

What’s exciting right now in fashion?

Boy’s are looking stylish right now – especially when they are wearing a pair of my multi coloured Saddled Oxfords.

Any exciting in the pipeline for the Rupert Sanderson brand?

Too much to mention all! I’m collaborating with Karl Lagerfeld again this season and designing the shoes for the Royal Opera House to name but a few things…

After offering a placement to the fashion fringe winner, do you have any advice for other aspiring designers?

Work really really hard on developing and refining your craft.

Your career highlight?

Still to come…

What’s your party trick?

I make party shoes!

Visit rupertsanderson.co.uk

 

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Selling your house during an economic recession can a bit overwhelming at best. The need to dispose of the monthly mortgage on your existing home is usually compounded by your next move or the move you have already taken. [caption id="attachment_248" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="For Sale"][/caption] During a recession, yes, let's call it what it is, you must first realize you are not alone. The only thing that you are alone with is your existing personal debt. That being said, you want to sell your house and like yesterday, right?

When selling your home during any economic conditions you need to assess your local real estate market conditions. While the country as a whole may be facing a negative real estate market condition, your local are could be maintaining a more encouraging market. If there is a growth underway in your area commercially, this could improve your residential market results. Let's talk about the worse case scenarios. Your local area has seen no significant commercial growth or worse, there have been industrial businesses close and layoff a size able workforce. This is the bleakest of times and you are affected. Keep in mind, there are options available to you and your family's blight. One consideration in selling your home is to avoid listing your house for sale through a real estate company or agent. This in itself, will allow you to price your home below the local market value. Selling without an agent can be a bit scary, as far as knowing what to do and how to conduct a sale of real estate. Fear not, you can find generic real estate contracts online for your given state. Selling your house by owner has both positive and negative consequences. The positive is; you control the entire process of selling, and the negative is; you have to do all the work involved in getting your house sold. Here are 10 sure fired ways to sell your house during a recession: 1. Acquire the documents that are required to legally sell your house, such as a legal sales contract for your state, a certificate for inspection of your septic tank, if you are not on a city sewer system, and a home inspection to assure your buyers that your home has been inspected for any defects. 2. Check in your area for similar size and amenity houses that are for sale or have recently sold, to assure you that you will price your house accurately. 3. Decide on a sales price, less than comparable houses for sale in your immediate area. You could ask a real estate agent to price your home at current market value. Offer the agent a 3% commission or a flat sales fee if he/she can produce a buyer. DO NOT sign any written agreement with an agent or real estate company. 4. Determine where houses are advertised for sale on a consistent basis, your local newspaper, traders post, or local cable channel. Some weekly newspapers have a specific day of the week when agents run more ads, choose that day to run your ads. 5. Run ads that standout! ZERO DOWN! BELOW MARKET! IMMEDIATE POSSESSION! NO CLOSING COSTS! BUY THIS HOUSE PAY LESS THAN THE COST OF RENT! 6. Locate a local real estate attorney and have him/her explain what costs are involved for a specific sales price, for both you and your buyer and have them explain how much you can legally pay on behalf of the buyer to assist them in their purchase. 7. Be willing to accept a second mortgage for your equity. This is where you are willing to be paid your equity over time, or at a delayed point in time, so the buyer who wants to buy your house but hasn't got the immediate cash required to pay your equity amount. They can do so in increments over time based on your stipulations. 8. Offer incentives to your buyer. Think about including a boat, a car, a truck, an RV, that you own, to be a part of the sale of your house. Tempt them with something extra. Recently in Wisconsin, a homeowner was willing to include 2 season tickets to all the home games of the Green Bay Packers. If you are not aware, they are sold out for years in advance. 9. Accept offers of a car, a boat, an RV, or whatever a buyer may have, that you could sell later, after the house is sold. This offer could be a down payment tool for the buyer.This could be a value toward your equity that you can liquidate later and create your equity recoup in that method. 10. Make sure you stipulate to your buyer that they show written proof from a bank or mortgage company that they are good to purchase, before drawing up a sales contract, or make it a condition of the contract, if the buyer doesn't want someone to go ahead of them on the purchase of your house. Keep in mind that as long as there are people getting married, getting divorced, or changing jobs, they all need a place to live and you have what someone else wants. During desperate times, desperate measures are required. Focus on the 'have to do', and don't let sentimental value be a part of what must be accomplished. There will be better times and using your intelligence to let go, to move on, is the right path to take. Sell your house, lighten your burden, and make it a good decision for the times you are currently living. Be creative, informative, and smart, he who takes on a challenge in desperate times lives to see better days ahead. Patience and persistence does pay off.

Kitchen design ideas Are You Designing Your Kitchen? A kitchen is the central headquarters for the family. Kitchen is often the showplace of the home, and yet it is required to function well for a wide variety of tasks. A well-equipped, beautifully dressed kitchen will provide both a sense of well-being and a favorite place in the home. As you plan your new kitchen, you must consider both the utility and the look factor. [caption id="attachment_241" align="alignnone" width="697" caption="Gloss Kitchen"][/caption] Kitchen design ideas - choose the one that suits you best! When thinking of ideas for designing your kitchen, you could either consider one- one part of the kitchen at a time or pick up a complete theme. A complete theme could be something like a design based on Feng Shui which incorporates all its principles. Feng shui concerns the art of placement and you could help you to arrange your kitchen in a way that enhances its good energy. For instance, according to Feng shui, the cook's back should never face the kitchen entrance so you must design accordingly Now according to the other way, you could choose a particular look for the kitchen floor, the walls, the storing place etc. this can be done in various ways depending upon the amount of money you are willing to spend, the lay out of the kitchen and your taste. Here are some specific design ideas for your kitchen. [caption id="attachment_242" align="alignnone" width="697" caption="Alnogloss"][/caption] * Kitchen floor- Your flooring choice is important as it will set the tone for the whole kitchen. The textural quality of the floor always appeals to eye and has a radical effect on how one perceives the room as a whole. For kitchens, the two most elegant floors are tiles / stones and laminated or hardwood floors. Ceramic tiles are a premium product for a kitchen and represent an impressive upgrade over any other floor. The only disadvantage is the cold feel. However if you want you can also opt for a floor heating system. * Kitchen countertops - While choosing your counter top, select a color and texture that will compliment your cabinetry, floor or paint selection. Don't be afraid in combining two or more countertop materials. Complimentary colors and textures on adjacent surfaces create visual interest. Also remember, it pays to select a material, which will withstand years of use without extraordinary maintenance requirements and is easily repairable should an accident occur. Granite and marble are strong options. * Kitchen lighting - you might have a large ceiling fixture, equipped with energy-efficient fluorescent tubes that supply plenty of well-diffused general lighting. However it may leave you working in your own shadow at the sink, range, and counter tops. These areas in your kitchen need supplemental task lighting. Also placing your windows is a tricky question. Kitchen design layout The perfect arrangement Kitchen designing is very subjective, so a layout that might be perfect for one can be disastrous for another. This is primarily because the tastes, and the ways of people in terms of working habits, styles are vastly different. Thus kitchen layouts should be done according to the necessities and specifications of the prime user of the space, who has definite ideas about how he/she would like their working space to be. But apart from this subjective outlook, there are certain steps that you should follow while designing your kitchen plan or layout. Following are the stages. [caption id="attachment_243" align="alignnone" width="697" caption="Alnostar High-line"][/caption] Stages in kitchen design layout Follow these simple steps in order to get your kitchen space rightly utilized with a desirable look- 1. Measure your kitchen in a detailed manner, the position of the doors, windows, electric points, drains and sinks etc. 2. Demarcate the kitchen areas into three - Storage, cooking and cleaning. Go about planning the space, keeping these three aspects in mind. 3. Make a list of the appliances that you are likely to use in the kitchen, and provide space for them according to their dimensions. Keep these three points in mind and then design your kitchen in a style that fits in accordance to your tastes. Following are some of the stereotypical kitchen design layouts that are used - Kitchen design layouts : Types These are the 4 basic kitchen layouts that are generally followed while designing a kitchen - 1. Corridor layout - This is meant for a narrow kitchen, where there are two facing rows. One for storage and the other for cleaning and cooking. Make sure there is a minimum 1200mm space between the two rows. 2. L shaped layout - This is a layout, where the rows are diagonal to one another, thus forming an L shape. This gets the kitchen working space into the corner, thus giving a lot of free space to move about. 3. U shaped layout - this is the best choice for small kitchens and very convenient too. 4. Island layout - This one on the other hand is meant for large kitchens. Here the cooking hob is altogether a different box unit, while the L shaped row is meant for the sink and storage purposes. These are the different ways in which you could plan your kitchen layout, and also make changes and alterations according to your preferences.

A corner sofa is certainly an important piece of furniture that state’s a lot about the overall design and style of your home. Now a day’s sofas come in a large selection of styles with vast choices of upholstery. Some fancy sofas with simple minimal design while others love sofas with a lot of floral patterns and soft cushions. Some even prefer buying Italian leather sofa. [caption id="attachment_227" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="The De Monna Italian leather corner sofa"][/caption] When purchasing a sofa, stylishness and comfort is the two common features that people look for. Selecting the right style of  designer sofa that fit’s your interiors is the key to add elegance to your home. There are many various styles of sofa to choose from, but most of the producer’s categorize them under two well-defined styles i.e. contemporary and traditional. For example, more conservative styles of sofa would include English arm, barrel back, tight back, tufted back and tuxedo, while Modern styles would include channel back, sock arm and corner sofas. Softer gentle colors and floral prints would be worn on conventional sofas and daring geometric designs and brilliant colors would be used on contemporary sofas. An additional thing that presents an exact style to your sofa is the variety of fabric. When you visit a furniture supplier, you first pick out the sofa style and then single out your choice of fabric accordingly. When designing a corner sofa, look for many different varieties of leather and styles that can best you're your interiors. The right choice of Italian leather can add a great value to your sofa. Here are a few fundamentals that you must consider to choose a sofa that suits your interior. 1) Color - color is an imperative determinant to buy a designer sofa. Your color preference for sofa must correspond to the interiors of your room. Generally, neutral colors go well with many different types of decor. 2) Dimensions - size of your sofa is important when bringing the merchandise in your residence and/or office. You need to consider the space it would enclose around in the room. A massive sofa in a small area might not only make it crammed but would also spoil the décor of your room. [caption id="attachment_228" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="La Savana Italian leather sofa"][/caption] These days, you have a huge variety of styles and designs to choose from. The preference of sofa largely depends on the overall interiors of your home and/or office. Besides the style, color and look, comfort is the most important feature in a sofa. Instead of buying a cheaper and boring sofa, you must go for the one that guarantees durability and comfort.

London, United Kingdom (Press Exposure) July 16, 2009 -- The problem with buying an Italian leather sofa is the lack of selection. There’s just not enough to suit to everyone tastes and needs. No store can afford to buy such a huge inventory just to showcase for potential buyers. Since the sofas are so expensive it’s no surprise most stores have a selection of maybe 20 max. I searched for 2 months all the stores in the local vicinity looking for those perfect sofas. I needed sofas of different shapes, sizes and quality. All the stores I searched had similar sofas at similar high prices. I finally took my search online and found http://www.ultracouturedesign.co.uk had the designer sofa that I was looking for. [caption id="attachment_218" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Ultra1"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_219" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Ultra2"][/caption] Their website which was highly user friendly and easy to handle showed me all the possible options for my home. I spent some time just exploring and studying the different sofas including a corner sofa and within a few hours I was able to make all my purchases. Some of my purchases required specific tailoring which wasn’t a problem all though it cost extra I still saved hundreds of pounds compared to department store prices. [caption id="attachment_220" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Ultra3"][/caption] A lot of their merchandise comes directly from manufacturers and they are able to pass those savings on to us. What I was most pleased with was the service and delivery. They we’re very professional right from the start and I always had the option of conversing with members of their staff with any questions I had. We chose the two man delivery team and they provided us with exceptional service as they were on time and ready to work. In what seems no time at all we had our sofa’s put into our house and saved hundreds of pounds at the same time. Anyone who is looking to receive excellent service at affordable prices must contact this company immediately, we did and we were blown away. About Ultra Couture Design Whether you are looking for a Corner Sofa, Designer Sofa, contemporary designs, commercial interior design ideas. Ultra Couture Design is your exclusive source for luxury modern sofas & bespoke furniture.

Images: Mardan Palace The 5 star Mardan Palace is an incredible luxury hotel that recently opened on the Turkish coast of Antalya, labeled by some as the European Dubai. An investment of more than $1.60 billion, the hotel design was obviously not affected by the global economic crisis and Russian tycoon owner Telman Ismailov even flew in Mariah Carey to perform at the opening ceremony. [caption id="attachment_207" align="alignnone" width="1012" caption="View From Beaiktaa "][/caption] Mardan Palace comprises 560 rooms, including two Royal Suites with private pools. With Turkish heritage in mind, internationally acclaimed designers have created architecture to reflect the distinctive landmarks of Istanbul - the main hotel resembles the Dolmabahce Palace and bridges across the pool are based on original designs of the Da Vinci Bridge. Decorative materials resemble historical artefacts from the Ottoman era. The bright white building with its Ottoman dome roofs reflects a connection between Asian and European cultures and includes innovative design, unparalleled service and extensive facilities and amenities. Gondolas sail guests around the Mediterranean’s largest swimming pool, five giant aquariums reflect the Earth’s oceans in the hotel’s restaurants and spa, and even a swimming reef provides an aquatic haven for environmental enthusiasts to explore. [caption id="attachment_208" align="alignnone" width="1012" caption="View at Night"][/caption] No expense has been spared for the Mardan Palace, with its 10,000 square metres of gold leaf, aided by 500,000 crystals and 23,000 square metres of Italian marble used in the interior, which is dominated by modern comfort and oriental luxury. The exclusive facilities of the Mardan Palace include 11 restaurants, 14 bars, sport facilities, and medicinal treatment centers. The hotel features an impressive 7500m2 Spa and Health centre providing all the necessities for some serious relaxation. Rooms range from 360 Euros per night for a Superior Room in low season to 14,000 Euros per night for a Royal Suite with private pool in High Season. Mardan Palace seems destined to be one of the world’s finest luxury destinations, an incredible resort set to become a modern day wonder of the world. A palace of excess and luxury, the Mardan Palace shows that the time for lavish architecture ventures for some is not over yet. [caption id="attachment_209" align="alignnone" width="1059" caption="Aqua Marine Restaurant"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_210" align="alignnone" width="1143" caption="Royal Suite"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_211" align="alignnone" width="1020" caption="Cocktail Lounge"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_212" align="alignnone" width="760" caption="Lobby Stair Way"][/caption]

A venue unlike any other, Sydney's Ivy is not only a hit with the city's socialites (such as Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman for example) but is garnering design awards in the southern hemisphere as an urban playground. Designed by Woods Bagot and interior designers Hecker Phelan Guthrie, Ivy includes 18 bars, nine restaurants and a rooftop pool but the scale of the complex is "deftly understated" according to the awards jury of the Architects Institute of Australia (AIA). Located in the tight urban fabric of Sydney's central business district, the 20,000 m2 building offers a dazzling constellation of bars, dining facilities, shops, lounge areas and lifestyle indulgences. It functions as a night out, a meeting place, function venue, and an escape from reality. The venue has drawn widespread recognition with awards from Interior Design magazine and most recently the AIA's awards for Urban Design and Commercial Architecture Award. Most tellingly, Sydney-siders have given their seal of approval, with crowds of 4,000 locals descending on it every weekend. "A reprieve for the public within a predominantly commercial domain, Ivy has been conceived as a house for the people of Sydney which redefines Palm Spring glamour and nostalgia," said Nik Karalis, Principal at Woods Bagot and lead designer on Ivy. "As green oasis in the city centre, it draws inspiration from the modern houses of California and Florida created by architects such as Paul Rudolph, Richard Neutra and John Lautner." [caption id="attachment_193" align="alignnone" width="1364" caption="Australia's Ivy - in a League of Its Own"][/caption]