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By: Theo Jamieson
Updated: 3/29/2024
Are you missing out on the next big thing in home interiors? Automatic window blinds and shades were once a luxury… but they’re quickly becoming the norm.
And for good reason.
If you’re on the fence about adding automatic window treatments to your home, don’t be. Adding automatic window treatments to your home gives you more of everything.
More…
➔ Comfort
➔ Reliability
➔ Convenience
➔ Function
➔ Savings
See what we mean? Adding automated window blinds or shades is one of the most impactful ways to update your home, giving you more value than non-automated window treatments.
So how do they do all this, and how do they work? We’re here to help you discover just what the fuss is all about.
Convenience isn’t the only benefit, but it’s a big one. As we covered above, automatic window blinds pack a huge value punch.
Imagine manually opening your garage door every time you wanted to pull your car into the garage. In many ways, that’s what opening and closing your window treatments will seem like in the future — no one will be doing it because there’s a better way.
When you have the option to push a button or set your window treatments on a timer, you maximize privacy and efficiency — and you have one less thing to think about. This ‘set it and forget it’ style is something we all appreciate. After all, we’ve got timers on our coffee pots and thermostats. Why not window treatments? We’ve all got demands on our time and mental space, and having simple conveniences like this helps us stop and enjoy the moments, rather than constantly thinking about what we have left to get done.
But that’s not the only benefit. There are a TON of benefits to adding automatic blinds or shades to your home.
1. Comfort
You want a comfortable home. Imagine if your home baked in the sun every day without any way to repel heat. Imagine constantly fighting the glare while you’re trying to get work done or help the kids with their homework after school. Imagine coming home to a very chilly living room because the outdoor temps plummeted with the incoming winter storm and you forgot to close your shades before you left.
Automatic blinds and shades take all of those scenarios and wipe them out. ** By choosing automatic window treatments, you get the most out of your space**. Because they’re set up with a smart home system, you can set your window treatments on a timer, or open and close them from your hub (even an app on your phone!). Which means your home can stay comfortable no matter what.
2. Reliability
You may be holding off on a type of window treatment simply because you’re worried you won’t actually use them the way you’re supposed to. You’ve got a lot on your plate, and you know that covering those tall windows you have would actually make a huge difference in your energy bill, but that would also mean you have to remember to raise and lower them yourself.
Enter your new hero: automatic window treatments. With automatic window treatments, you can rely on your window treatments to work the way they should because they’re actually being used — without you having to even think about it.
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3. Convenience.
With automatic blinds, you free yourself up to stay in the moment: no stopping the action just to close the blinds when the sun changes position. And no need to interrupt your work meetings, your meal times, or your time with loved ones.
When you install automatic blinds, you get the opportunity to choose when your blinds stay open, and for how long. And you also have the option to change this at the click of a button whenever you want!
Don’t feel like doing weird stretches to open and close your window treatments? Stop leaning over the sofa back or squeezing your way between furniture — you’ve got automatic window treatments! Those taller windows? You don’t have to worry about reaching those either! Simply sit back and let those automatic window treatments do what they’re designed to do — make your space more functional and more convenient.
4. Functionality
Your window treatments are meant to provide you with a variety of functions, depending on the type of window treatment.
That could include:
Those are all wonderful functions you want to take advantage of — but those functions only go into effect when your window treatments are used properly.
That means if you forget to close your window treatments in the evening, or even when it’s cloudy out, your window treatments won’t keep those temps regulated. If you forget to open your window treatments, your room doesn’t get the sun it needs to keep your home energy efficient (or your plants alive). Instead of keeping that heat in in the winter months, your window treatments might just keep the sun’s warmth out.
It’s simple: if you don’t use your window treatments the way they’re meant to be used, you won’t get all the benefits that having window treatments can provide for your home.
With automatic window treatments, you no longer have to remember to raise and lower them every day. That “set it and forget it” mode comes in handy when it comes to getting the most from your window treatments. They can make your home function at the optimal level.
Automatic window blinds and shades rely on a concealed motor that runs on either:
The motor is designed to partially or completely open and close the blinds or shades.
So how do you operate the motor in your window treatments from across the room or across the world? It might be through a radio wave connection from a hand-held or wall-mounted remote device, so operating shades or blinds is as easy as changing TV channels.
You can also control motorized window treatments through a data connection. This is a more flexible option that enables you to move your blinds and shades with a smartphone, iPad, or one of the many home automation systems currently available. If you have other smart home devices (lights, security, or a thermostat), your window treatments can be used on the same control system.
Just be aware that not every motorized window treatment can be added as an “automatic” window treatment, which would require being connected to a smart home hub.
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Good news! When it comes to motorized window treatments, you’ve got a ton of options! So if there’s a certain type or style of window treatment you love, you’ll likely be able to add motorization to it.
Here are some of the best options for smart window blinds and shades:
Roller shades are one of the most popular window treatments today. Their streamlined design makes them a go-to for many modern homes, and their easy versatility and simple look make them one of the best motorized window shades for high, out-of-reach windows.
Motorized roller shades can also be added to a smart home system, allowing them to become automatic window shades.
But that’s not the only place they shine. Roller shades are favorites for living rooms, sun rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens.
Want a more energy-efficient home? Cellular shades might be exactly what you need. These intentionally designed window treatments are the most effective window treatment at temperature control. But that temperature control is amplified when it’s convenient enough to open and close on a regular basis.
And these window shades double up on the convenience factor: motorization and top-down, bottom-up options.
Motorization means simple opening and closing at the touch of a button.
Use cellular shades throughout the home, including living rooms, dining rooms, play rooms, dens, and bedrooms.
Solar shades look similar to roller shades — because they’re technically a subset of a roller shade. Solar shades feature the same uncomplicated design, but they’re also specifically built to address all aspects of sunlight.
Motorized solar shades help keep glare under control, UV rays from damaging your interiors, and keep the sun from turning your home into a sauna in the afternoon.
*Solar shades can be set up with a home automation system, and are excellent choices for living rooms, dens, sun rooms, and home offices.
Wood blinds and faux wood blinds have a classic, timeless appeal, but with motorization they’re just as modern as other options. Wood and faux wood blinds are excellent options for areas of your home where light control and privacy are priorities, such as living rooms and dining rooms.
In fact, we recommend these blinds for any medium or normal sized window, such as those found in bay windows.
Adding motorization to your wood or faux wood blinds means having those light control and privacy perk constantly at your fingertips. They can also be added to your home automation system for optimum convenience.
Wood and faux wood blinds make the perfect window treatment for dining rooms, living rooms, and home offices. Because faux wood blinds can withstand high-humidity conditions, they’re also ideal for bathrooms.
Your home deserves the best window treatments out there.
At Stoneside, we believe in only giving our customers the best: the best modern window treatments, the best quality, and the best customer service.
That’s why we take care to help you at every stage of updating your home, from inquiry to installation and beyond.
Chat with us today, and we’ll help you find the best modern motorized window treatment for your home.
