Motorized Shades & Window Treatments

Investment varies based on system choice, fabric, and window size:

Per Window Pricing:

• Budget Wireless: $400-800 per shade (battery-powered, basic fabrics)
• Mid-Range (Lutron Sivoia/Serena): $800-1,500 per shade (better motors, more fabrics)
• Premium (Lutron Palladiom): $1,500-3,000+ per shade (whisper-quiet, luxury fabrics)
• Specialty (Hartmann & Forbes): $2,000-5,000+ per shade (natural woven materials)

Whole-Home Examples:

• • 3,000 sq ft home (15-20 windows): $15,000-40,000
• • 5,000 sq ft home (25-35 windows): $30,000-80,000
• • Estate (50+ windows): $75,000-200,000+

Pricing includes shades, motors, control integration, installation, and programming. Specialty shapes (arched, angled) and larger windows cost more.

Schedule a consultation for a detailed quote with fabric samples and system recommendations.

Lutron Palladiom (Our Specialty - Premium):

• • Near-silent operation—you barely hear them move
• • Precision alignment across multiple shades
• • Fastest operation speed (important for large shades)
• • Built-in intelligence (auto-stop, obstacle detection)
• • Best for luxury homes where performance matters
• • Price: $1,500-3,000+ per shade

Lutron Sivoia QS (High-End):

• • Quiet operation (not silent, but good)
• • Reliable Lutron quality and support
• • Wide fabric selection
• • Great for homes wanting Lutron reliability at lower cost
• • Price: $1,000-2,000 per shade

Lutron Serena (Mid-Range):

• • Battery-powered wireless (easy retrofit)
• • No electrician needed for installation
• • Good for existing homes without pre-wiring
• • Battery life: 3-5 years depending on use
• • Price: $800-1,500 per shade

Other Brands (Crestron, Hartmann & Forbes):

• • Crestron: Good integration with Crestron control systems
• • Hartmann & Forbes: Premium natural woven materials (grass, bamboo, reeds)
• • Both integrate with Lutron motors for best performance

We help you choose based on your budget, noise sensitivity, and aesthetic preferences.

Absolutely! Modern motorized shades are designed for easy retrofit installation:

Battery-Powered Shades (Easiest Retrofit):

• • No electrical wiring needed—motors run on rechargeable batteries
• • Install in existing window frames without modification
• • Wireless control (RF remote, smartphone app)
• • Battery life: 3-5 years with typical use (1-2 cycles per day)
• • Recharge via USB or solar panel options
• • Best for: Existing homes, no access to power

Hardwired Shades (Best Performance):

• • Requires 110V power near each window
• • More powerful motors for larger/heavier shades
• • No battery maintenance or recharging
• • We fish wires through walls/attic when possible
• • Sometimes requires minor drywall patching
• • Best for: Maximum performance, large shades, frequent use

Installation Process:

• 1. Measure windows and select fabrics
• 2. Custom-build shades to exact dimensions
• 3. Install mounting brackets (inside or outside mount)
• 4. Program and integrate with control system
• 5. Typical timeline: 4-6 weeks from order to installation

We assess your windows during consultation and recommend the best retrofit approach.

Battery life depends on shade size, usage frequency, and battery type:

Typical Battery Life:

• Standard Use (1-2 cycles/day): 3-5 years before recharge
• Light Use (few times/week): 5-7 years
• Heavy Use (4+ cycles/day): 1-3 years

Battery Types:

• Lithium-ion rechargeable: Most common, USB rechargeable, 500+ charge cycles
• Alkaline disposable: Some budget systems, requires periodic replacement
• Solar-powered: Trickle-charge from sunlight, extends battery life significantly

Low Battery Warnings:

• • Shades notify you via app when battery is low (usually 20% remaining)
• • Plenty of time to recharge before shades stop working
• • Manual operation still works if battery dies

Recharging:

• • USB charging wand (connects to bottom of shade)
• • Full recharge: 4-8 hours
• • Can recharge without removing shade from window

Hardwired Alternative: For shades used heavily (media rooms, conference rooms), hardwired motors eliminate battery concerns entirely.

Yes! Motorized shades integrate beautifully with whole-home automation:

Lighting Integration (Lutron Specialty):

• • One-touch scenes: "Movie Time" closes shades + dims lights
• • Daylight harvesting: Shades adjust to optimize natural light + electric lighting
• • Time-based automation: Open at sunrise, close at sunset
• • Unified control: Single keypad controls lights + shades
• • Lutron excellence: Shades and lighting from same company = perfect integration

Climate Control Integration:

• • Solar heat gain management: Close south-facing shades on hot afternoons
• • Energy savings: Reduce HVAC load by 15-25%
• • Temperature-triggered automation: Shades adjust based on thermostat
• • Seasonal optimization: Different schedules for summer vs. winter

Whole-Home Control Systems:

• • Crestron Home: Native integration with Crestron shades, Lutron via QS link
• • Control4: Excellent Lutron integration
• • Savant: Full Lutron support
• • All platforms: Control via touch screens, keypads, voice (Alexa/Google), smartphone

Advanced Automation Examples:

• • "Good Morning": Open bedroom shades gradually over 10 minutes to wake naturally
• • "Leaving Home": Close all shades for privacy and energy savings
• • "TV Time": Close media room shades, dim lights, start equipment
• • Security integration: Close shades when alarm arms

We design integrated systems where shading, lighting, climate, and entertainment work together seamlessly.

Fabric selection depends on room function, light control needs, and aesthetics:

Sheer/Solar Shades (Daytime Privacy + Light):

• • Openness: 1%-14% (higher % = more view, less privacy)
• • UV protection: 90-99% (protects furniture, reduces glare)
• • View-through: See outside, maintain soft natural light
• • Best for: Living rooms, offices, kitchens during the day
• • Note: Not for nighttime privacy (lights visible from outside)

Room-Darkening (95-99% Light Block):

• • Blocks most light but not 100%
• • Some light leakage around edges
• • Better insulation than sheers
• • Best for: Bedrooms, media rooms (moderate light control)

Blackout (100% Light Block):

• • Complete darkness when closed
• • Side channels seal light gaps
• • Opaque backing material
• • Best for: Home theaters, master bedrooms, media rooms

Specialty Materials:

• Hartmann & Forbes Natural Wovens: Grass, bamboo, reeds—organic texture and warmth
• Dual Shades: Sheer + blackout on one roller—switch between view and privacy
• Fabrics + Drapery: Layer motorized shades behind manual drapes for aesthetics

Our Consultation Process:

• • Visit your home with fabric samples
• • Assess light direction, window size, room function
• • Show how different fabrics look in your actual lighting
• • Recommend optimal solutions for each room

Different fabrics for different rooms is common—theater gets blackout, living room gets sheers, bedrooms get room-darkening.