Monday, September 27, 2010

Sign Graphics for New Home Construction

Here are a couple of sign graphics that I have recently completed for two new homes in a new luxury housing development.  I have rendered elevations of the house plans with plantings according to the planting plan that I created for each home, and have used Photoshop to enhance the graphics to give them an artistic touch.  These signs will be placed on their respective properties as marketing for the development during the time that construcion is in progress on the new homes. 

Hopefully this might lead to future work producing sign, presentation, and marketing graphics for home builders, developers, and real-estate professionals.  I like the idea of having a landscape graphic art gallery at this new development. 

Please get in touch with me if you need marketing graphics for your home or development.  I would love for an opportunity to showcase your home and make them shine!


Saturday, September 18, 2010

Land8Lounge Updates Made


Visit Land8Lounge.com


After about 18 months, I have finally updated my profile on the Land8Lounge.

Feel free to check it out here:
http://land8lounge.com/profile/DaveSonka

Friday, September 17, 2010

Contemporary Home with Asian-Inspired, Eco Flair

Here is a preliminary mockup for a really sharp contemporary home, showing its new curb appeal from the street, while addressing the needs for the landscape to handle the excessive amount of stormwater runoff that gets concentrated along the driveway.  Jack, Nikki, and I at Landscape Design Studios are always very client-focused, where we take each home, each site, each project, and each client and give it the unique attention it deserves.  In this case, the recently completed contemporary home demands a compatible contemporary flair, perhaps with an Asian-influenced style, and a sensitivity to the storage and infiltration of stormwater runoff that gets concentrated in this area of the yard.

So, the solution is to implement a new driveway with permeable pavers to capture the runoff that flows along the side of the car port, and from the roof downspouts, allow it to infiltrate into the base, and then bleed it out into the front yard for infiltration into the soil.  In the area downhill, out to the left of the photo, it can bleed into the lawn, and then daylight at a rain garden which could be situated in the low lying area of the lot.

With the new permeable paver driveway, we could detail it with borders that have flowing curves juxtaposed to the hard edges on the house, as well as flowing, sweeping bed lines with rock formations and Japanese garden-influenced aesthetic with the planting design.

A rectangular corten steel planter box can anchor the front entry and mirror the window on the house, before the landscape starts to morph into flowing lines and sweeping curves, and natural materials.  The rusty gray boulders will pull off the color palette of the rusty coloration of the core ten steel and the siding on the house, while the gray-ish granite blended paver will also tie into the color of the house and color of the boulders.  The boulders will also create shelves in the planting bed to organize the naturalistic plantings.

Anyway, I hope that the intial design concept is a success and we can proceed to really explore the design further and hope to look at installing the paver driveway to replace the current class 2 limestone driveway that is there.  It would be a beautiful project, and I certainly could use the work this fall, before the season is through.

Thanks,
Dave

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Kansas City Front Yard, Preliminary Design

Here is the preliminary design for the front yard, with the walkways, planting beds, placement of trees, and stylistic approach to their home with a free-from design, yet formal classic look.  Here also is the color scheme to the house, with the siding materials that they have selected.





Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Check, Baby. Check, Baby. 1 - 2 - 3.

Testing out the Slideshow Portfolio.

(The Soundtrack is a song from the New Orleans band "Galactic".)  

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

I love Testimonials.

I love testimonials!  Things are a bit slow right now.  But it makes me feel a bit "touched" to get these back, while it makes me feel optimistic and a bit energized to work hard and keep making positive experiences happen for people, while we try to give them amazing additions to their home.  I love to design.  But even more... I love making people happy!

I know Jack feels the same way.  There is something so gratifying about a good experience, a beautiful project, and an enormous sense of accomplishment.  We'll have more feedback from our clients as we get ready to re-launch the website in the near future.  Stay tuned!


“David Sonka treated us and our small landscape project with equal enthusiasm and professionalism as he would his largest executive project!” – John, Minnetonka.


“We worked with Dave to create an entirely new backyard last fall and the finished product is far better than we had hoped for! Strangers have stopped at our house to tell us how beautiful the new patio, gardens, lawn, deck and pergola look - and they function beautifully for our summer backyard soirees.” – Jeff and Mark, St. Paul.


“David Sonka possessed significant energy and excitement to be involved with our project and worked with the architect and us on solutions to meet the criteria requirements for MN Greenstar.” – Jeff and Shelley, Monticello.


“I love, love, love the design!“ -- Ann, Minnetonka.


“We are very pleased with the work and speed of you and [your contractor] . Job well done, thanks!” -- Jennifer, Medina.


“Dave created a beautiful design that transformed our backyard. We love our new patio, outdoor fireplace and putting green and look forward to spending many fun days there with our kids. Thanks Dave!” -- Steve & Sarita, Minnetonka


“I would unconditionally recommend David Sonka and his design team for your landscaping project. From the beginning of the process he listened, was a strong communicator and made me feel as if my project was his only job - he was that thorough and approachable. His work and commitment to detail are impeccable. I can not imagine trying to navigate a project of this size without his expertise and insight.” -- Roxanne, Eden Prairie.


"Dave Sonka goes well beyond the design phase and takes a real hands-on approach to his work. We observed on several occasions during the project how he worked along side the crew to help keep the schedule on track. He even took on an unexpected ant problem and did everything he could to eliminate them. Communication with Dave on the project was excellent. We have a wonderful unique outdoor living area that we will enjoy for years to come. Thanks for a job well done" -- Bruce & Carolyn- May Township, MN