Sketchup and Online Landscape Design-Creating a 3D Landscape

Sketchup is 3D design software that is used for many different industries.

However, for the hard to visualize area of landscape design, it can provide one of the best portrayals of the 3D landscape.

Landscape Stone Idea

Sketchup was originally owned by @ Last Software, but it was bought by Google. Hmmm ....I guess Google thought it was pretty good. And it is.

Sketchup and Online Landscape Design-Creating a 3D Landscape

There is a free version and a paid version. For the average person, the free version is fine. If you want to get more intricate with such things as grading and showing different elevations, then you will want the paid version.

For residential design, you can use this program in a couple of different ways.

The first way is to design right in the program. With a click of the mouse, you can set the drawingin a perspective position. Guidelines help you make sure you are drawing correctly. You can enter actual heights and lengths of objects, such as a house. You can put in the dimensions of the house, ie., length and width. Then use something called the pull tool to extend it up to the correct height.

It is all very user friendly. Also, what is created has an artistic flair to it, which makes it a lot of fun!

You can also view different materials for landscape elements. For example, if you are drawing a patio, you can go to the Materials area and choose what you might like. There are many different materials and you can change them as you like to see the differences. Some choices are stone, pavers, brick and concrete.

Plant palette is offered also. Theseare fine. However, for a more sophisticated look, there are other inexpensive components you can buy to use in your design.

The second way of using Sketchup is to create a 2D drawing in such programs as AutoCad, and import it into Sketchup. In this situation, you are working from your drawing so that an exact replica of the design is created. This allows you to see what a drawing will look like when built. Changes are easily made if there is something you don't like or want to add.

Some of the components you can add to the 3D landscape design are people, cars, grills, pergolas, plants, any many, many more. These are available directly through the program or through something called Google Warehouse. They are all free.

There is a lot of flexibility with thecomponents. You can resize or rescale them if you need to. You can also change colors of both components and materials.

By adding window components to a house, you can actually position a person inside the house. This allows you to attain a view as if you were inside looking out. What a great feature to see what your view will be like.

You can also create scenes. Scenes let you save a particular view. These scenes can also be exported into jpeg images. You can also create an animation which is a fly by or walk through of the entire design!

Any or all of these features can be used to suit your purposes. The software can be used in both simple and sophisticated ways. There are many other features available also. All in all it is a great 3D program.

Sketchup and Online Landscape Design-Creating a 3D Landscape

Brick Landscape Edging - A Classic Look

Oftentimes homeowners try to find ways to give their home that something special which will make it stand out from the rest. There is a desire to do something different and unique. One of the items that is versatile enough to allow for personal creativity while still giving that unique look is the use of brick landscape edging. There are many different types of edging. You can use it in many places. In fact, any place where there is a definitive border can then have brick as the edge. Flower beds, mailboxes, trees, sideways and driveways are just a few of the places where this trim can be used to finish the look of your home.

Brick can be found in more shapes than the rectangle you are probably familiar with. In addition, it now comes in different thicknesses as well as different colors other than traditional red. Because you now have so many more options you can use it in a variety of ways, each with their own special look. For instance, flower beds often look best when a tiered brick outline surrounds them. The brick is laid out and then an additional layer is placed on top at an offset line from the first tier. It looks very polished and professional.

Landscape Stone Idea

Trees and sidewalks very often will look best with a single layer of brick trimming around them. Sometimes the brick will be mortared together, especially for the sidewalk. Since there is a good possibility that the trim will be hit, stepped on or kicked by mistake, mortaring the bricks together will keep them from falling out of line when touched. If they are left free standing, be prepared to always fixing them after they get hit or touched and fall off their line.

Brick Landscape Edging - A Classic Look

One of the places where brick landscape edging is very popular is up and down the driveway. Sometimes the brick is actually set down into the ground so it is even with the height of the driveway itself. This keeps people from tripping over it and gives it a nice look. To install this way though, is very taxing so you will need some time and patience if you plan on doing in yourself. Raised brick trim is used around driveways also but the chances of the brick being hit or moved is great so you will want to think about connecting the bricks either through mortar or other means available.

Brick Landscape Edging - A Classic Look