BRAVAS Case Study:

a room with an

automated view

"These vacationers were faced with a dilemma: how to make the most of their new view while mitigating the light and heat that came through the same windows? This called for a flexible system that was both reliable and easy to use."

Meet a couple from Philadelphia who built their beach home in Surf City, NJ for use as a vacation retreat.

With high vaulted ceilings and a massive wall of windows facing the ocean the couple was faced with a dilemma: how to make the most of their new view while mitigating the light and heat that came through the same windows, in addition to maintaining some semblance of privacy. The obvious solution was window covers or blinds - however, there were several factors to consider. “With 13-foot-high ceilings and a wall of windows, we wanted to control and automate the times when the blinds were open or closed,” remembers the homeowner. “We had put non-automated shades in our Philadelphia home and we wanted to have a better experience at the beach.”

For one, the size of the windows meant whatever blinds were used would also be large and hanging high, making for a difficult task of opening and closing - sometimes multiple times throughout the day as the sun and weather changed. There was also the issue of privacy, as some windows faced more populated or busy areas of the beach at different times of day.

This called for a flexible system that was both reliable and easy to use

adaptive approach

Construction of the project ensued in July of 2018. Working closely with Kevin Engleken of KHE construction, BRAVAS’ Kyra Winsky ensured that the finished product was both smart and beautiful. Working closely with the contractor, homeowners, cabinetmakers and painters, Winsky sought to seamlessly install and integrate all of the home’s new features, while staying mindful of the their budget. “This client had fallen in love with the Palladiom line of shading from Lutron,” Winsky recalls, “and asked me how to achieve the same look and experience within their budget.” Through a combination of great products and better ingenuity, Winsky was able to eliminate the shades’ top treatments and using a custom bracket cover, fulfilled the clients aesthetic needs while saving them money.

The new blinds not only worked with the existing style and interior of the home, but within the client budget as well. When needed, the automated blinds could now be set to raise and lower accordingly with the changing light of day or needs of the homewowners, while rolling and tucking neatly away to remain unseen when they weren’t in use.

lighting + climate

Like the sand outside the back door, sunlight and heat have their time and place. In order to efficiently harness and harvest the amplitude of natural light available, an automated system was needed in order to ensure the perfect atmosphere, regardless of weather or time of day. A system like the Homeworks platform - comprised of both wired and wireless components - would allow for expansion as the family spent more time in their new home and preferences changed. While the client initially sought a more comprehensive lighting system, it was determined that a flexible system was the better option, as it allowed for later upgrades and expansion.

a shore thing

As demonstrated by Winsky’s creative thinking and problem solving, BRAVAS approaches every customer, home and project with the belief that while not immediately evident, every problem has a solution. “We are very focused on listening to our customers and understanding not what we can do, but what they desire,” says Winsky. “Through attention to every detail - however small - we make sure we can give families their dream home.”