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11 Reasons to Choose Motorized Blinds, Shades, or Curtains

11 Reasons to Choose Motorized Blinds, Shades, or Curtains

Having custom-made window coverings created for your home is always a special treat. From custom designed treatments to valances and motorized blinds, shades, and curtains, we help create people’s dream window coverings. But regardless of the design benefits of having custom window coverings made for your home, there’s a question we hear often regarding some of our modern technology options:

“Why would I want motorized blinds, shades, or curtains?”

(We don’t say curtains here though – they’re draperies.)

 

1. Motorization solves hard-to-reach windows

Simply put, if your window is hard to reach, any treatment you cover it with will be too. We don’t just mean tall windows or skylights either, though those count. We also mean windows behind furniture. No one wants to stand on their couch to open their blinds. For some people, that’s also either impossible or risky. That means your window coverings aren’t used nearly as intelligently or conveniently as they definitely could be.

If you have really tall windows though, this is also about safety. It takes us tall ladders, sometimes in interesting configurations, to reach that window. Unless you want your shades always closed, you’re going to need to reach too. We doubt you want to set up a ladder every time you want to open the shades above your stairs. A simple wall switch, like a light switch, can open or close them for you instead, safely from the floor.

Last but not least, if you have a LOT of windows, that’s not much better. Opening and closing a ton takes time. We’ve covered some rooms where people have more than 6 windows in one room. With motorization, you can adjust each one independently, or program them together to all operate at once. (It looks pretty cool in action too.)

2. Make everyone’s sleep much better (and wake up kids with ease)

As we all know from the shift from Standard Time to Daylight Savings, light drastically affects your sleep – we even have a whole article on how your window coverings can affect your sleep. Imagine waking up to gentle sunlight at a set time, instead of when nature decides. All you have to do is program your shades, blinds, or draperies to open at the time you want them to. Then natural light will ease you awake before your alarm goes off.

For kids, this is even better. Set their window coverings to close before bedtime, and their window coverings to open in the morning when you choose. No more, “MOMMMM I need five more minutes!” grumpy kids in the morning. They can yell at the sunlight urging their body into the land of the living instead. If you have tiny humans who still nap, being able to close their window coverings before you carry them to the crib will help keep them asleep. Everyone values naptime enough to make this really enticing.

Motorized blinds, shades, or curtains (ahem – draperies) really do make a big difference in waking up peacefully.

 

bathroom with 4 windows above the large tub covered with cellular shades

3. Push a button for privacy

Whether in your bathroom or bedroom, you may find yourself in a situation where you don’t want to walk up to the window. Whether you’re in a towel or otherwise indisposed, being able to ask Alexa to close your blinds, shades, or drapery can simply give you privacy. Avoiding awkward situations with neighbors is always a win.

4. motorization grants freedom for people with mobility issues

Whether you’re getting on in age, disabled, or have chronic illnesses that make normal window covering operation difficult or impossible. Even simply having arthritis (which 40 million people in the United States have) can make dripping cords or chains to adjust a typical control difficult. Since motorized options can be controlled via phone or tablet, wall switch, remote control, motorized wand, or even your voice with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, there’s an option for everyone. Regaining independence of something as simple as opening and closing window coverings is really meaningful for many people, young and old alike.

5. get rid of the sun or glare without getting up

Do you remember the days of TVs without remote controls? To adjust the volume or change the channel, we all got up and crawled to the TV. Or someone stayed on the floor as the designated channel changer. Just like with TV remotes, motorized shades, blinds, and drapery are no different. In the middle of work if sun has shifted to hit you in the face, push a button to make it go away without breaking your train of thought. If you’re watching movies with your family and have a child or fur baby on your lap and glare is ruining the movie, simply tap your phone’s app and you’re good to go.

 

 

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6. Save money on energy bills

Seriously, choosing motorized shades, blinds, or drapery can save you money – especially if you work with a design consultant to choose the best options for space. Letting in natural light allows you to reduce your use of lamps and other light fixtures. But more importantly, you can automate your window coverings to open and close at the best times for your goals. Automatically close your shades before the sun hits those windows, and your cooling bills will drop. The insulation of your window coverings will of course determine how much you save, but regardless, it’s a  great feature! Though here in Los Angeles it doesn’t really get down below freezing, it can still get cold. When the sun isn’t hitting your window directly any longer, close those shades to prevent cold from seeping in.

Even the best windows still transfer heat and cold! The Department of Energy estimates 30% of your heating costs is lost through windows. In hot months, they say 76% of sunlight that hits a double-pane window enters your home to become heat. Imagine how much you could save if your window coverings automatically work to help reduce that energy loss!

 

7. Preserve your furniture, art, and rugs

With the same logic as above, you can carefully prevent damaging UV rays from bleaching or damaging important art, furniture, artwork and rugs. Just prevent direct sunlight from hitting them, and you’ll make them last much longer. One investment protecting others is a great trade-off, especially with all the other possible benefits like lower bills.

8. Automation is the modern solution for security

We all know about the recommendation to set lights on timers when you’re gone to simulate someone being home. However, window coverings are that much more impressive at really giving the illusion of occupancy. Set window coverings in high windows (where people can’t see in) to change throughout the day. If you’ve got smart home lighting, you can still switch lights on and off too to really mimic you being home, or even have them set together on a schedule.  If you travel regularly for work or pleasure, this benefit is pretty big for you.

9. Increase the value of your home

Professionally designed and installed window coverings already add value to your home. But modern tech, like motorized window coverings, adds that much more value. Smart Home automation isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Having perfectly styled and installed motorized shades is a big plus for potential buyers. If they’re the kind who are looking to integrate a Smart Home system themselves, they’ll see you as having already done some of the work for them. Bonus points for you!

 

 

10. it’s safest for kids and pets

Cords and kids don’t mix. We dedicate all of October to this topic since it’s Window Covering Safety Month. Pets are no different. Strangulation from cords is a real risk, and unfortunately has ended in tragedy for some human and pet parents alike. Enough that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission calls corded window coverings one of the “top five hidden hazards” in our homes. Yikes. Eliminating cords entirely is always the way to go when safety is the question. Motorized blinds, shades, and drapery remove the cord and therefore the risk.

11. smart home tech is a fast-growing market & here to stay

Like we said before, think of it like going back to the time of no TV remotes. Or no garage door openers, no cellphones, no computers. Smart Home technology, including window covering motorization, is a fast-growing market. In 2020, the market for Smart window coverings was valued at 3.97 billion, and it’s expected to reach 6.68 billion by 2026. About 40% of Americans already have some form of smart tech in their homes. More and more homeowners are opting for control systems for multiple Smart Home controls, ranging from sprinkler systems, doorbells, lights, and so much more.

While you may not care about keeping up with the Joneses, we guarantee motorized blinds, shades, and drapery are worth it to basically everyone. We hope that answered your question of why someone would want motorized window coverings. We promise – once you go motorized, you’ll never go back!

 

If you’re in the Greater Los Angeles area, contact us for a free in-home design consultation to discuss adding motorized shades, blinds, or drapery to your home!
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