Window Comparison Examples

The upper image here shows a double-hung, traditional wood-style window installation. The lower image shows a typical single-hung aluminum window. You can see how the upper image shows the shadows created by the window being installed into the wall, rather than on the face. It creates a sill at the bottom and reveals the depth of the wall. Also, the muntins (grid bars) are dimensional on the exterior of the glass, creating another layer of depth.

On the lower image, you can barely make out the grid behind the reflection on the glass surface. The glass is pushed out almost even with the trim around the windows, giving the facade a very "flat" look.

Houses with Value

The Parade of Homes is a great opportunity to see a variety of homes and features that can add value, comfort or fun to a house. This year, there was quite a variety of price points to review and I am really pleased at how Brytan measured up. I think the three greatest features of Brytan, besides the truly green aspect, are the great gathering spots in each home, the craftsman detail and the fiber optic network. I will start with the fiber network first because I think that is sort of a sleeper. It is not discussed very much because most homes don't have a true connection. But if you think of the impact on the internet and the speed at which communication is occurring, the one thing that we all know is that homes need to have this capability or be very "dated" in a short time frame. Why buy a home today that is not going to handle the conveniences of tomorrow? The other feature that I appreciate in the Brytan homes is the trim around the windows and the finish detail. EG Gonzalez built a wonderfully detailed home to feature in this year's Parade. Everything was high quality from the way the kitchen cabinet and drawer doors closed to the flooring in the garage. Talk about value for your money! Finally, there is what I like to call the great gathering spots in a home. Brytan homes have porches where you can actually have a chair, swing or rocker...not just a concrete slab that is barely large enough to set a potted plant. There is also grilling areas or enclosed patio areas that are more "private" than the front porches. Then there are the many benches in the parks and close to sit, relax and catch up with a friend. Go ahead, relax...you don't have to spend your afternoon mowing the yard or trimming the hedges!

Brytan does not feature the least expensive homes...that has never been one of the objectives of the community. Rather the objectives are to provide a great deal of value, regardless of the square footage and to provide a variety of price points in a variety of homes. If you are buying a home today, buy one that will retain and increase in value. In Brytan, you will get not only the home you can afford but the home that will truly improve your life and lifestyle!

Everybody loves a Parade

...especially one at Brytan! The BANCF Parade of Homes has begun and the weather could not be better. The attendees have been fantastic this year and are truly interested in the variety of green features that are in the homes and in the communities. People seem to understand that the homes of yesterday do not offer the technological components nor the efficiencies of many of the homes today. The value that is available is much higher in homes that have access to a fiber optic network and that already have green features built into the foundation and walls...areas that are more difficult to make "green" in the future.

Come visit Brytan and see why the homes here are great value for you, your family and for our community!!

Anybody ready for a parade?

Yes, it is that time of year again...the annual Builders Association of North Central Florida's Spring Parade of Homes. The Parade starts this week-end, April 18th and runs until Sunday, April 26th. Of course, Brytan is one of the sites that is in the Parade. The Parade is a wonderful time to visit the homes and see what new products are available for homeowners. With the introduction of numerous "green products," saving money on electricity, irrigation, and energy use is not only easy but stylish. At Brytan, the homes are verified green, meaning an independent third party tested, rated and scored the homes in several categories, not just energy consumption. I really like how the yards have been designed to minimize water requirements. With more water restrictions being placed on irrigation days and times, the design of yards is increasingly important.

When you visit Brytan, be sure and visit all 3 homes...each has unique features that are really worth seeing. From an apartment over a garage that could be used for a caretaker, renter or college student to open floor plans with lots of storage niches, there is lots to see!!

Enjoy Brytan, enjoy the Parade and enjoy the day!

Spring is here!

Not only are the houses green in Brytan, but the wonderful street trees are showing their green side! The many plants in the Butterfly Garden are beginning to bloom and the entire area looks great. This time of year is perfect for strolling on the trails and envisioning what your home could look like. Brytan is the place to live if you believe in sustainable design, energy conservation and walkable communities. Go and enjoy the wonderful weather!!

What's in a Window?

Brytan has detailed set of architectural standards for its homes. In a high density neighborhood where the buildings engage the street, pedestrians come in close proximity to the architecture. For this reason, it is extremely important that the buildings have a sense of authenticity. How many times have you seen a building from a distance and then, as you get closer, something just doesn't seem right about it? It looks "flat" or somehow just not "real." In fact, many buildings today are constructed relying on applied detail to provide interest. At Brytan, we emphasis an authentic depth to the facade, meaning that materials should look like they are really doing the job they were intended to do and that the facades have an appropriate depth to create the shadow lines and details that you expect to see when you get close the the building.

One of the most important features is the window. You will notice in Brytan that the windows on the front of the houses look a little different. The architectural standards require that the windows have exterior "muntins" or grids, which cast a shadow on the glass below them and emulate the original structural purpose of the those pieces. You will also notice that the glass and sash are set into the wall rather than being flush with the exterior of the siding. This too is an authentic look that gives the window openings a "realness" and provides a shadow line and a window sill.

Most of Brtyan's windows are double-hung. That means that both the top and bottom sash are operable. Open the top sash and the bottom sash and it will naturally draw cool air in the bottom of the windows and push the rising warmer air out the top - a method that has been used for centuries to improve comfort level without air conditioning. Once you close the windows and turn on the HVAC system, though, you can take advantage of their modern advances: these are vinyl, high efficiency widows, with low solar heat gain and insulated glass. They have the best of the new and the old technologies.

When you think about it, windows are the primary way that occupants inside the building experience the outside. Doesn't it make sense to make them both beautiful and functional?