Brizo adds TONS of models to the 3D Warehouse

Some of the finest faucet models in the 3D Warehouse just got a whole lot more awesome recently.

Brizo and Igloo Studios have released 103 new Sketchup models of some of the best faucets around. They’re available for free on the 3d Warehouse for you to use in your next Sketchup model.

They are beautifully modeled as well. Take a look at this side by side comparison of a Sketchup model, and an actual faucet. I know what you’re thinking, it’s rendered. Well, it’s not. Igloo has a fantastic method of taking photo textures and wrapping them around 3D models so that these faucets look great at any angle.

But wait, there’s more!

These beauty of these Sketchup models, much like Brizo faucets is more then skin deep, they’re quite smart. They are embedded with information that can help you, the designer use these in your model and get the information you need, see this screen shot from Sketchup:

Dimensions, model numbers, and even a link back to the faucet on the website are all there.

But wait, there’s EVEN MORE!

So you’ve built your fantastic model, and you want to get a list of all those Brizo faucets you’ve specified so that you can order them really easily. You CAN do that. Just use Product Connect, a free plugin for Sketchup that allows you to run reports on your models. Igloo and other companies have made tons of Product Enabled models that you can use. If you want add information to your own models so that you can get a report, you can do that easily with their plugin. I’d explain it more, but I think this video can best do this awesomeness justice:

Happy modeling (and specifying!)

A Rendered Garage

Over the past few years my view on renderings has changed quite a bit. I used to be very against them, but now I am loving them!

This is my latest rendering, designed by Mark Johnson FAIA. and modeled by Joe Sharkey.

This Sketchup model started out looking like this:

And ended up looking like this:

Design by Mark Johnson FAIA

Pretty cool right? And just for a reference, here is the garage in real life:

And lastly, if you want to see experience the model in 3D, you can download it and view it here:

3D Warehouse Access Issues inside Sketchup

UPDATED: SEE BELOW

Over the past few days I have noticed that some of the component collections you find in your components window aren’t accessible within Sketchup anymore.

It appears that all of the collections except for “Transportation” and “Playground” are effected. Since these categories are just essentially bookmarks to the 3D Warehouse, I assumed that Google had perhaps moved them online, and thus broken the link between Sketchup and where they reside online.

This doesn’t appear to be the case, as these collections are easily accessible in your browser.

Since I use these just about everyday, I was really scrambling to find a way to get them back easily. After I found them in the browser I realized that I could download the models I needed, and then go to “File>Import” and select Sketchup models on the bottom, then select the component file I wanted. This is a tedious process at best.

The faster solution is to open a browser window next to Sketchup, find the components in the 3D Warehouse with your browser, then just drag them into Sketchup. This appears to only work on a PC, not on a Mac. Right now Mac users are stuck with the tedious method.

I wondered if anyone else was seeing this issue, so I checked around online and I found these threads:

SketchUCation

Google Sketchup Help Group

Is anyone else seeing this issue? if so, please let us know in the comments. We will be keeping this post up to date as this develops.

Update:

It appears that Google is aware of the issue and is working on a fix now. We’ll keep you updated.

Update 3/11/2012

Just opened Sketchup and it appears the issue has been solved! Thanks Google!

2011 Year End Review

It’s been a spectacular year for this blog. What started out as a humble blog for Sketchup related tips has expanded into a globally read resource read by thousands every month.

Not only is this post a review of some of the high points this year, for all of the new readers it will be a great way to get up to speed on what goes on here. Consider it a “Cliff notes” or a “Best of album” for 2011. Let’s jump right in!

First and foremost, there is a lot of Sketchup content from this year.

Draw Countertops with Components (Saves time!)
Save Those Components! (Learn to save components for reuse later)
Sketchup: Now with mind bending capabilities (Learn to use Shape Bender)
Shaderlight, my favorite render package for Sketchup
Jason Wu Brizo products now available in Sketchup
Apps for Sketchup? Steve Jobs is not amused (Learn to use Material Replacer for Sketchup)

There was a lot of coverage on mobile apps this year too:

Happy Trees with Sketchbook Pro for iPad (Learn to draw and paint on the iPad with this amazing app)
3DVia: View Sketchup models right on your iPad!
WebPad for iPad: Draw on someone else’s computer screen from your iPad over the Internet!
JoinMe: Hear an incredible store of how this screen sharing app took our design competition global with just a few clicks.
Measure Digitally: Learn to use your iPad, iPhone, or Droid to measure an interior space
I’m Eric, and I used to be addicted to flash drives. (Learn how I kicked my addiction to flash drives with Evernote)

And lastly, everything else!

Profitting in the New Digital Age: This was a presentation I did for the Kitchen & Bath Design News Leaders Conference in Chicago
Steve Jobs has passed away
Kitchen Technology: I was challenged by Design Kula to do a review on kitchen technology. It ended up being three parts, Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
LetsBlogOff: This is a bi weekly blogging challenge that I participated in. The topic? Top Gear.

And most importantly, I want to thank everyone for reading this year!

Jason Wu & Brizo now in Sketchup!

If you aren’t aware of Brizo faucets, you should be. Brizo was started about eight years ago as a spinoff of from the Delta faucet company. Brizo is quite the opposite of a mass production, engineering first, design second faucet company.

Much like Apple, Ferrari, and other boutique companies they focus on the design of their products above all else. They apparently drive their engineers insane asking for the impossible. A few years ago, to further their commitment to design they partnered with Jason Wu, a then up-and-coming fashion designer. Since then, he’s worked closely with Brizo developing the lastest design’s in faucets.

Just recently, an entire line of Jason Wu bath products has been launched. No longer do you just get a great faucet, you get towel bars, soap dishes, cabinet pulls, and even a trash bin. All of these are made by Brizo, and designed by Jason Wu so they all look fantastic together. Want to check them out? Head over here to see them (and preorder)

How about this, do you want to see them in 3D? Well you can! Just fire up Sketchup and go to your components window (Window>Components) and punch in “Jason Wu” into the Google Search. You can get this entire line in 3D to use on your next bath model!

I am working on a bath design right now, I will be posting it later in the week.

If you use these, I’d love to see what you come up with, so feel free to post your models in the comments!

Click here to see the Jason Wu models in the 3D warehouse!

RE RUN: Brizo VS Miami Vice

How can you compare Brizo to Miami Vice, and put a design software spin on it? Read on past the break to find out! If you have any questions, drop us a comment at the end of the post!

Out with the old, and in with the new!

I am sure most kitchen designers out there have seen this in their designs, using their “favorite” design program:

There’s an old TV show that comes to mind whenever I see this…

Well, with the help of Brizo Faucets, Igloo Studios, and Sketchup, you can now have cool faucets like this:

How much better does that look? Even if you don’t like that faucet, the beauty is in the utility, as that faucet ACTUALLY EXISTS! Yes, its a Brizo Faucet that can be found right inside Sketchup from their 3D warehouse collection. So whether or not you think its good looking or not, your client might love it!

Now, about that utility part…. This faucet does more then just put on a good show, it actually helps you out with your work… Do remember what I have been saying in the past that Sketchup is becoming your one stop place for design information? Well check out what you can get if you “right click” on this faucet and select “Dynamic Components” and then “Options”:

Now this has got some important technical information in it, kinda boring, but necessary at times. The really useful and cool part is the “Product page” link in there, that brings you to this page:

Thats right, without ever leaving Sketchup you can search for, and insert Delta and Brizo faucets right into your model! Imagine doing a design with a client, and you are deciding on faucets, would you rather flip through a spec book, or show them their faucet, in their kitchen, live in 3D?! The best part too is that with the website links, all the options, and prices are right there!

Sketchup can help sell kitchens, and now it can help sell faucets! Miami Vice was good, but who really watches that show anymore?

Try these models out, open Sketchup’s component browser, and search for “Brizo”

Need some carpets?

The other day I was looking for some slick carpets for a design. Rather then make my own, I searched the 3D warehouse and came across this collection of Design Within Reach carpets.

These are very well modeled carpets that work great in Sketchup. Best of all they are embedded with extra “smarts” so they can be resized. Just drop on in your model, right click it, and select “Dynamic Components” and then “Options”

To find these, just open the 3D Warehouse in Sketchup and search for “Design Within Reach rug”

Enjoy!

Awesome Appliances

When you are designing a kitchen on the computer, you always need to include the appliances. Most design programs have generic appliances that you can substitute for the real ones. Just make sure you have your specs handy so you can check to make sure they fit.

But wait, we’re designing in 3D, why can’t we do all of that at once? Impossible sounding, I know.. But it can be done. If you look through the 3D Warehouse, there are some appliance companies that have stepped up and put their products online, in 3D. Not only can you download these accurate models into your design in Sketchup, they are embedded with all that information you need. Information like dimension guides and installation instructions. Oh, did I mention that they are accurately modeled in 3D? Now you can save yourself a bunch of work, and even show your customers exactly what their appliances look like. How cool is that?

Check out below for a few appliances. Get Sketchup today and try it out for yourself!

AIA 2010 Re Run: Mike builds kitchens from space!

This year unfortunately I won’t be attending AIA, but my good friends Mike Tadros of Igloo Studios, Mark Johnson, and David Pillsbury will be! The show starts today and I am sure that they are going to be doing all kinds of magical things with Sketchup, including but not limited to some Shaderlight renderings. Check out what Mike did last year: Also, follow the #AIA2011 hashtag on Twitter to keep up. Each of the presenters names are linked above with their Twitter feed. You can follow the AIA hashtag to the right with the Twitter Widget! Here is a post I did about some of the “Movie Magic” that Mike did last year….

At the AIA show this year, Mike Tadros, president of the Sketchup training company, www.go-2-school.com did several presentations during the AIA show. As with all of Mike’s presentations, they are well thought out, and very informative. Mike has a really fluid manner of teaching, and he’s great at sensing what his class needs, and molding the presentation on the fly to accomodate everyone in the room. Check out some of Mike’s videos to get an idea of what I am talking about:

Of all Mike’s presentations, there was one that really stuck out for me. Mike started building a kitchen using the Kraftmaid models that are available in the 3D warehouse. He went on to show how easy it is to create kitchens and living spaces with these models. At one point, a lady asked if she could build her own kitchen with these tools. Mike said “Sure!” and then asked, “How about I build your kitchen for you?” She agreed. At this point, she, I, and I think everyone else was confused as to how Mike was going to accomplish this. Remember, we’re all on a trade show floor, and even though we were surrounded by architects, nobody had any idea what her kitchen looked like.

Without skipping a beat, Mike asked what her address was. He pulled up Google Earth, and zoomed in on her location, and found the aerial photography of her house.

With just a few clicks, Mike had the aerial photography in Sketchup, where he began to trace the outside of the house. He was quickly able to model up the walls. The lady at the show was rather confused up until this point, because she had no idea how Mike was going to draw her house, without ever seeing it. As soon as she saw the walls go up, she was able to easily describe where her kitchen was located.

After finishing the walls, Mike started to build a kitchen for her…

Right there on the screen, Mike put the cabinets where she wanted them. There was no waiting, no render time, it all happened live, right there on the trade show floor. Mike was using Merillat cabinets, which are available on the 3D warehouse in Sketchup

After Mike built her a kitchen, he even emailed her the Sketchup model. She can now go home, download Sketchup Free, and view her dream kitchen herself, right in her own home. When she decides its time to get it built, she’s got a great 3D model to start with! They say a picture is work a thousand words, but how many words is a 3D model worth?

KBIS 2011 Recap

KBIS in Las Vegas was certainly a great experience this year. The show was smaller then it has been in past years. Despite the small size, there was an air of optimism about. People seem to be less nervous about the economy.

This year I presented in Kraftmaid’s Knowedge Center. This was in the technology area of the Masco Cabinetry. I did presentations on how to use the iPad in a dealer showroom to be way more productive, and eliminate just about every piece of paper in sight. I also did some Sketchup presentations. Mark Johnson did wonderful presentations on social media. Mike Tadros and the gang from Igloo studios launched a new plugin for Sketchup that will make ordering and specifying products lightyears easier. There were even some live renderings using Shaderlight right on the show floor!

In the coming weeks I am going to get more in depth about each topic we presented. For now, I will leave you with this YouTube clip that was recorded of Mark and myself on the show floor.