When it comes to conveniently controlling shades or blinds, it doesn’t get any easier than with motorization.
Motorized shades lack lift cords, which makes raising and lowering them simpler for everyone, including children or people with limited mobility. The lack of lift cords also makes motorized shades a safer option for homes with young children and pets.
The most basic type of motorization involves raising and lowering shades with a wand instead of lift cords. For example, with SoftTouch® Motorization, which is battery-powered, you move shades by gently pulling down or pushing up on the wand. Motorized smart shades—or completely automated shades—provide more functionality than shades motorized with a wand, as well as more benefits.
Motorized operating systems like PowerView® Automation let you raise and lower your shades with the press of a button on a remote, tap on a mobile device, or with your voice (and your favorite voice assistant). You can also schedule shades to move automatically, whenever you want them to, and to the precise level you desire.
Because you can conveniently control smart shades, you’ll always have privacy exactly when you need it.
Easily give your home a lived-in look while you’re away by scheduling your smart shades to automatically raise and lower at set times during the day.
Shades can help improve the energy efficiency in your home by blocking harsh rays from heating up your house in the summer as well as helping prevent heat loss in the winter. Smart shades save you the hassle of manually adjusting them, because you can create schedules for automatically moving shades at the optimal time of day.
To make the most of motorized smart shades, keep the following in mind before you start shopping.
Rooms and Windows
Motorized shades are especially suited for hard-to-reach windows, such as tall windows and skylights, as well as windows behind furniture, a kitchen sink or a standalone tub. They’re also great for wide windows.
Make sure the type of automation you select is available in a shade style that matches your décor. PowerView Automation, for example, is available on a wide variety of shade styles, including sheer, roller, cellular, Roman and woven wood shades, so it’s easy to find a style that complements your home’s aesthetic. (PowerView is also available on blinds and vinyl shutters but only for blind or louver tilt.)
Smart shades provide a variety of control options, for the ultimate in flexibility. You can use a remote for one-touch control or an app that you download to your mobile device. The beauty of the app is that you can use it to set up schedules for your shades, so that shades automatically open and close exactly when you want them to.
For example, you could swap your alarm for a gentle wake-up by scheduling bedroom shades to open, or schedule all shades throughout your house to close in the evening. You could also enhance security when you’re away by scheduling shades to raise and lower at set times, so it looks like you’re there, even when you’re not.
In addition, you can create scenes with the app. A scene is a predetermined shade level for any given room or rooms. For example, you could create a “Movie Time” scene that would close all the shades in your living room or a “Good Morning” scene that would partially raise your kitchen and dining room shades. You can also create a schedule for a scene, so that it occurs at a set time/day(s) of the week.
If you have a compatible voice assistant, you can control shades or scenes with your voice. For example, you could say, “Hey Google, close the shades” or “OK Google, activate ‘I’m Home.’”
Smart, motorized shades are powered in a variety of ways, such as with standard batteries, rechargeable battery wands or plug-in power supplies. (Keep in mind that if you opt for a plug-in power supply, you’ll need to make sure you have a nearby outlet.)
Those types of power options are ideal for existing windows.
If you’re building a new house or doing an extensive remodel, hard-wired motorized shades are also an option. Hard-wired shades are wired out of sight behind walls, for a clean look.
Motorized smart shades are often compatible with other smart-home systems, so that you can control shades in conjunction with lights, thermostats, security systems and more.
For instance, PowerView Automation is compatible with many higher-end smart home systems, including those from Control4®, Crestron®, Elan®, RTI, URC® and Savant®.
Motorized shades like those with PowerView are also compatible with voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant™, so you can control shades with a simple voice command.
Motorized shades are powered in a variety of ways, including with batteries or a plug-in power supply. If you’re building a new house or doing an extensive remodel, hard-wired motorized shades are also an option.
The cost for motorized shades depends on the size of your window treatment, as well as the control and power option that you select.
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You can open and close smart motorized shades with a remote, an app or your favorite voice assistant (when integrated with a compatible smart-home system). You can open and close basic motorized shades by pulling down or pushing up on a wand.
Yes, you can connect smart motorized blinds to your phone or tablet. Once you download the corresponding app, you’ll be able to control your blinds from your device.
You can also integrate smart motorized blinds with other smart-home systems for blind control using your favorite voice assistant.
Installation specifics for motorized window treatments vary depending on the type of window treatment you’re installing.
To ensure your motorized window treatments function properly, we recommend leaving installing to a Hunter Douglas expert.
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If you’d prefer to install your motorized blinds yourself, check out our installation instructions.
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