Shades have proven to be a solid addition to a custom installation dealer’s product arsenal. Recent additions to the category include more style and fabric options in addition to technological developments that make them easier to install and use. Here is a look at some of the latest developments in smart shades.
Screen Innovations Nano Motorized Shade Manual Box Version
Screen Innovations (SI) has widened its Nano product category with the addition of Nano Manual Box shade cassettes. Designed to match the cosmetics of the motorized version of Nano, Nano Manual Box offers integrators and end-users the ability to use a combination of less expensive manual shades on smaller ancillary windows, like those in a guest bedroom, and motorized units on windows in main spaces, like family rooms, and still maintain a unified look throughout a residence.
Like the motorized Nano Box, Nano Manual Box comes in more than 12 decorator colors, including custom finishes, can be fitted with a wide variety of shading fabrics, mounts quickly and easily to a variety of bracket styles, and offers standard and reverse-roll options. SI rounds out the aesthetic and functionality of Nano Manual Box with a simple pull tab that matches the shade fabric and a telescoping wand to position the shades of hard-to-reach windows.
Related: Integration Guide to Smart Shades
QMotion Introduces Four New Shade Fabric Collections
QMotion has added four new fabric collections to its portfolio. Featuring trend-setting colors and textures, the 80 new fabrics perfectly complement any home’s décor.
New QMotion fabrics include the room-darkening Verona Daylight and Verona Twilight collections. Available in eight colors and distinguished by loosely twisted yarns and a soft, raised surface, the Verona Daylight and Twilight lines offer increased privacy while adding elegance to any space.
The new light-filtering collections include S Screen, S Screen Naturals, and E Screen Deco. The S Screen collection provides the look and feel of a high-end, natural textile with an enhanced depth and texture. Available in 12 colors — including a variety of neutrals — S Screen offers a sophisticated style and glare control, while adding an alluring effect to any window.
The S Screen Naturals line provides a rich, woven texture and features a subtle sheen to enhance the effect of natural daylight. Available in 12 colors, the fabrics transmit controlled light to complement any home.
Available in 14 neutral colors, the E Screen Deco line offers a decorative extension to the company’s existing E Screen fabrics. Featuring a cross-weave texture, these fabrics offer style and function.
Hunter Douglas Rechargeable Battery Wand
Hunter Douglas has introduced a unique solution for PowerView automated shades with the Rechargeable Battery Wand. The new Rechargeable Battery Wand brings convenient, long-lasting power to Hunter Douglas automated shading products. Discreetly concealed behind the headrail, yet easy to remove, recharge, and replace, the slim Rechargeable Battery Wand doesn’t mar the beauty of window treatments.
PowerView Automation brings convenient smart home control to most of the company’s wide range of shading products, with options for either hardwired or battery powered operation. The new Rechargeable Battery Wand can be installed with most shade styles and can also be retrofitted to existing Hunter Douglas automated window treatments. It offers a convenient and sustainable solution that reduces waste, conserves resources associated with manufacturing and distributing disposable batteries, and saves money for the homeowner in the long run.
The battery charge lasts up to one year, depending on shade use. When it needs to be recharged, homeowners get a notification via email or from the PowerView App indicating which shades have low batteries. The custom-designed Dual Charging Station makes it easy to keep fully charged spare Battery Wands on hand: Simply unsnap the low battery from the magnetic mount behind the shade, snap a fully charged spare into the mount, and place the removed Rechargeable Battery Wand into the Dual Charging Station so it’s ready for the next time. Alternatively, the Rechargeable Battery Wand can be charged in place while still mounted to the shade using the optional single charger. Both options fully charge the battery wand in under three hours.
Related: Going Beyond the Roller
Lutron Triathlon and Serena Smart Wood Blinds
Lutron Electronics has announced the addition of smart wood blinds to the Triathlon and Serena window coverings family. Smart wood blinds can be customized using the new Natural Light Optimization feature of the Lutron app to automatically adjust throughout the day, allowing the optimal amount of daylight into a space and providing maximum comfort day after day.
Lutron designed the new smart wood blinds and its Natural Light Optimization feature with the busy homeowner in mind. The feature is easy to set up and use via the Lutron app. Harnessing the phone’s built-in compass, the Lutron app’s Façade Finder will help identify the direction of the window. With just a few clicks, the blinds will automatically tilt based on the sun’s position that time of the year. Homeowners can also customize each blind to their own schedules, like prioritizing privacy or allowing more light into the living room.
The blinds are available now with starting price points of $699 for a 3- x 5-foot Triathlon shade, and $599 for a 3- x 5-foot Serena shade.
Crestron Home Integrates with Lutron Lighting and Shading Control
Crestron Electronics has announced a new addition to its Crestron Home software. Through an alliance with Lutron Electronics, Crestron Home will integrate seamlessly with Lutron lighting and shading control, specifically, RA2 Select, RadioRA 2, and HomeWorks with QS and QSX control systems.
Focusing on ease of deployment, Crestron Home will automatically detect Lutron hardware on the customer’s network. Once added to the system, Lutron lighting and shading control products will integrate seamlessly with Crestron Home touch screens, iOS, and Android apps.
Lutron lighting and shading scenes can be recalled in concert with other systems, such as climate, audio, or video to enhance the customer experience. For example, selecting a Movie scene from a Crestron Home touch screen can turn on the audio and video system while simultaneously triggering the Lutron Movie scene to close the blackout shades and dim the lights to the perfect level.
URC Integrates with QMotion QAdvanced Shading Systems
URC has launched a two-way module for Total Control of QAdvanced automated roller shading systems from QMotion, a brand of Legrand | AV Residential Solutions. The module, available to authorized URC installers via URC’s dealer portal, makes it easy for commercial or residential end users using any URC Total Control interface to raise, lower, stop, and set the level of individual or groups of QMotion automated roller shades.
When authorized URC Total Control dealers complete the installation and integration of URC’s Total Control system and QMotion’s Qadvanced Shading Systems, end users can raise, lower, or set the level for each QMotion Motorized Shade or groups of QMotion Motorized Shades in their home. Users can also automatically adjust the roller shade to the desired level based on activity macros, such as “Dinner Time Mode” or “Party Mode.”
End users can also create or change groups of motorized shades using the QMotion QzHub App, which automatically synchronizes with the URC Total Control System.
