It is now possible to open and close your shades with voice commands like ‘Alexa, open primary bedroom shades.’
Motorized shades, also known as smart shades, electric shades, or power shades, are window treatments with an electric motor that can be raised and lowered with a remote control. When combined with either Amazon Alexa or Google Home, motorized shades are a central component of smart homes.
You can control shades in single rooms, groups of rooms, and your entire home by saying things like…
“Google, set the nursery shades to 50%.” Or “Alexa, open all shades to 75%”
These types of commands make it seamless for you to set any shade in your home at any time to any setting you want.
Customers can also set ‘Routines’ and ‘Scenes.’ ‘Routines’ allow users to raise and lower shades at specific times. ‘Scenes’ allow users to orchestrate their shades along with other smart home devices like lighting, thermostat settings, and entertainment systems.
With ‘Routines,’ you can say things like…
“Alexa, good morning.” – This routine could open all the shades.
With ‘Scenes,’ you could say something like…
“Alexa, start movie night” – This scene could lower the shades, dim the lights, turn down the thermostat and turn on the TV and home audio.
Additional Features & Benefits
Beyond basic voice commands, motorized shades offer more advanced functionalities when connected with Alexa or Google Home:
- Control from Anywhere & Anytime: With the Alexa or Google Home apps, users can control their shades remotely, whether they’re at work or on vacation. Users can also schedule their shades to be opened and closed automatically at specific times.
- Hands-Free Control: No more fumbling for remotes or wall switches—voice commands make operating the shades accessible for everyone in the home, including those with mobility challenges.
- Energy Efficiency: Automated shading helps regulate indoor temperature, reducing the need for HVAC systems and lowering energy bills.
- Increased Security: Shades can be adjusted automatically when you’re away adding an extra layer of home security by simulating activity and giving the appearance that someone is home.
If Acadia has already installed your motorized shades or you’re looking to add new ones.
Our motorized shades require a ‘smart hub’, also referred to as a ‘gateway’ to connect with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Home. The hub allows shades to communicate with the home network and enables voice commands.
Your Sales Consultant can let you know which hub you will need to connect to your smart home system. We currently only offer guidance on where to purchase your needed hub. For setup, you will need to be comfortable with setting up and connecting these devices on your own in order to make them work the way you want.
Depending on the type of motor you have will dictate the type of hub and mobile App you will need to connect to your smart home system. We offer two types of motors, Z-wave and RTS.
1. Z-wave motors – You will need a Bond Bridge and the Graber Motorization App to program your shades and connect to your smart home system. The Bond Bridge or Bond Bridge Pro can be purchased on Amazon.com and costs between $120 and $380. The Graber Motorization App can be downloaded for free on both Apple and Android devices. The App is used to pair all of your shades with your gateway, which then connects to your smart home system.
2. RTS motors – You will need the Somfy Tahoma Hub and Somfy App to program your shades and connect them to your smart home system. The Somfy TaHoma Hub can be purchased on Amazon.com for around $280. The Somfy App can be downloaded for free on both Apple and Android devices.
Motorized shades are among the most popular types of window treatments, especially for those who are looking for a more modern design and convenience features that traditional options do not offer. If you would like to explore the many options for automating your window coverings, schedule your free consultation today to meet with one of our experts!
