Motorized window treatments aren't just pretty. They're pretty practical.

OK, guys, it's time to get in touch with our feminine sides and consider window treatments. Did you know there are all kinds of neat window treatments out there, from draperies to roller shades, wood blinds to plantation shutters, even things called Duettes, Silhouettes, and Luminettes?

What's that? You don't want to know the difference between big frilly Roman shades and fluffy Austrian shades? I understand. When my really better half drags me to the fabric store to match sheers and weaves and determine just the right colors and textures of draperies to complement everything in our humble abode, I feel the pain, too—especially if it causes me to miss some important sports programming.

Now what if I told you all those frilly-girly window treatment fabrics can be motorized? They can go up and down, or open and close at the touch of a button. Several or even all of them can open or close or go partway between at one time. They can be controlled by a remote control or a wall switch or even a home control system or your trusty home theater clicker. Can you say, "Close the drapes, dim the lights and start the movie"? And if you have a more elaborate home theater, motorized controls can even open the stage curtains.

What do you say to velvet drapes and silk brocade now, boys? I say bring on the fabric samples, baby. Let's motorize those gorgeous window treatments! In all seriousness, though, and before we receive too many letters accusing us of chauvinism, motorized window treatments can defy our traditional stereotypes and serve the needs of both the decorating type and the more electronically oriented. Motorized window treatments are a great marriage of aesthetics and technology. And besides, they are not just pretty. They're pretty practical.

Let the Sun Shine In ... Or Not

Motorized window treatments are often used in private spaces such as master bedrooms to close and open the drapes, shades or blinds, and in home theaters to black out incoming light or open the proscenium drapes. In very expensive homes, motorized treatments are also used for problematic places like two-story great room windows. And more and more, motorized window treatments are being installed throughout these homes.

The main benefit, especially if you live in a large home, is convenience. With motorized window treatments, you don't have to go around the house closing shades or drapes. It can be done at the touch of a button, or automatically at certain times or when temperatures rise or drop in a room.

Convenience isn't the only benefit, though. Safety and security can be improved in your home as well. Blinds or shades that go up and down at certain times can make the house appear as if it is occupied, discouraging potential intruders. And sensors that detect movement outside the home can trigger your home office blinds to open so you can see who is visiting, for example.

"They are also childproof, with no hanging strings," says George Glickman, general manager of the Electric Shade Co., a Hollywood, FL-based "fabricator" that puts together motorized treatments and fabrics for consumers, interior decorators and custom electronic integrators. "And it looks a lot better without the cords hanging."

Christopher F. Kahler, market development manager of Integrated Systems for motorized window treatment manufacturer Somfy Systems, also makes a case for cleanliness. "Why do drapes get dirty? Because they don't move," he says.

Motorized treatments can be used to creatively eliminate other messes and clutter as well. John Karas, president of Wauconda, IL-based Am-Source International, an automated window treatments manufacturer, has seen his company's motors be used not just to make windows look great, but also for applications such as a high-end kitchen in which motorized doors descend from beneath the cabinets to conceal the appliances.

Another advantage is protecting valuable furnishings and art from fading under harmful ultraviolet rays. In these instances, tying motorized treatments to timers or light sensors can prove invaluable. One home has window treatments close at certain times each day to protect the finish on a grand piano, for example. In addition, motorized tracks of sheer fabrics and those that let some light through are great for filtering harsh sunlight and reducing glare. Window treatment systems are also being used in baths, particularly for hard-to-reach windows over whirlpool-style tubs. And motorized shades are helpful for filtering or blocking out the light from skylights.

Beyond the practical, motorized window treatments can give you great looks. "Shading gives you a whole new dimension, because it gives you moods," says Kahler. "A great idea is a preset scene for parties or entertaining. Shades can be staggered up and down and can be tied into lighting to give that impressive show during an event. Shading is just another cool idea for the homeowner who wants all the adult toys."

"People are really going for different textures and feels in a home," adds Kevin Keenan, general manager of BTX Window Automation, a Dallas-based manufacturer of high-end window treatments for residential and commercial markets.

Besides looking cool, motorized window treatments can make you feel cool. They can help cool a room on hot days and warm the room when it's cold, saving on energy costs even while you're not at home.

Some estimate that automated window treatments can save as much as 10 to 15 percent on home energy costs, by automatically opening on a sunny day in the winter to help warm a room or closing on a sunny summer day to help cool it. Certain window treatments such as cellular shades that trap hot or cold air between two layers of fabric are particularly effective at providing an insulating layer for a room.

How They Work

Motorized window treatment systems come in all different shapes and sizes. Basically, they use motors built into the headrails of treatments such as shades, Venetian or wood blinds, and the like. For roller shades, the motors are often right in the "tube" that fits in the top of your window. Treatments that move side to side such as drapes typically require special tracks and have motors that hang down from the rail on one side, but are concealed by the drapery fabric.

As with many electronic systems, it's best to plan for motorized window treatments as early as possible in the construction of the home, in the planning phase if possible, and wire for them before the walls close. And this is where it can get tricky, because motorized window treatment systems can run on either high-voltage wiring, which is your home's powerline wiring that goes to each electrical outlet and is better suited to lift heavier window treatments, or low-voltage wiring, which can be safer and allow more flexibility in the system design, but typically uses extra control wiring between the switches and the motors. Motors can run on AC, the alternating current that comes out of your electrical outlets and powerline wiring, or DC, the direct current from batteries and often bulky plug-in transformers. Many DC systems can also be "hardwired" inside your walls to transformers that convert the signal from AC. Which system you use will often depend on the size of the window and the type of window treatment you choose.

"AC is typically for large windows or fabrics that are heavy in nature, such as solar screens, blackout shades for home theaters and Roman shades. DC shades are for smaller windows and light fabrics or shades less than 25 square feet of material," advises Kahler. Solar Shading Systems of Newport Beach, CA, for example, uses DC motors to control the tilts on the louvers of its plantation shutters, because not that much power is required.

Electric Shade's Glickman says he would not recommend using a DC motor for any more than 10 to 12 pounds of material. DC motors may also seem to run louder, as they often must work harder. Advances are being made, though. Lutron's Sivoia QED, for Quiet Electronic Drive, claims virtually silent operation.

So as early as when you're scanning the blueprints, you may want to decide what kind of window treatments you want and how heavy the fabric may be. This will also determine what kind of motor you will require, as it's very important to have a motor that can handle the full load of your window treatment. A single motor can handle small amounts of fabric or other material or up to several hundred pounds. And the type of motor and the size and configuration of your system may determine how it should be wired. "It's very important we get in there from the get-go, so we know to tell [the contractors] how to wire it," says Glickman.

When in doubt, though, most experts recommend wiring for high-voltage, in case your window treatments will require more power to lift or move them. And you can always run DC motors on high-voltage wiring, whereas you can't operate AC motors on low-voltage.

As a general rule, each window where you intend to have motorized treatments should be wired back to a central electrical panel or closet, in what is called a home-run wiring architecture. Also be aware that any window treatment with hardware that hangs inside the window frame, such as roller shades, can be more difficult to install because the wire may have to go through the window frame. Some communities even have building codes prohibiting drilling through the headers at the tops of your windows.

Retrofits can be difficult, but are not impossible. Wiring inside existing walls is always an issue, but you can get DC motors that run on batteries or that plug into the electrical socket in the wall and are controlled by wireless infrared or radio-frequency remote controls. Wireless systems can also be controlled with remote controls, although integrating an entire large home's wireless window treatments will have limitations.

Some companies, such as Somfy's Harmonic Designs and Hunter Douglas, sell battery-operated motors. These types of systems can be good for single-window applications where the motor is not lifting heavy loads. A single treatment above a bath might be a perfect place for one, as you may not want high-voltage in that area.

Controlling Your Options

Most motorized window treatment systems offer a variety of control options, from wall switches for each window to singular or multiple switches for group control to remote controls that operate on line-of-sight infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF), to being controlled by electronic lighting or home control systems, even your computer.

Most systems can be integrated into the major lighting and home control manufacturers' systems, but check on this as well for compatibility. And you shouldn't have to worry about exactly how you will use the system and what settings you will need. "We know you don't have a clear idea of what you want with this stuff until you've lived with it for a while," says Rick Langille of Electronic Solutions, a motor and control system provider for manufacturers, based in Broomfield, CO.

In other words, when you move in you should be able to hit a switch or a button on a remote and activate whatever window treatments you need, but any preset or timed scenes can be programmed later. This can often be done by your electronic systems specialist.

Which brings us to the next important point: Who do you use for motorized window treatments? There is some good news and bad news here. The good news is that you can have access to motorized window treatments through a number of channels, such as interior decorators, custom electronics integrators, window treatment retailers and fabricators. And here's the bad news: In many cases, one of these alone will not be able to do the whole job. Interior decorators typically don't get involved in motorization, and custom electronics guys generally don't want to sell you fabric and other window treatments. Some fabricators do both, but chances are they will be working with either the interior decorator, the electronics company, the architect or the builder or the window treatment manufacturer.

Don't worry, it's not all that bad if you find one of these people with the right connections. "If someone is looking for motorized window control in their home, talk to a window covering expert who has some experience in motorized treatments, and make sure they have the integration [or know someone who does]," suggests Langille.

Because of this fragmentation in services, some manufacturers are setting themselves up as one-stop shops. Am-Source International, for example, now has its own line of different velvet draperies for its many home theater jobs. Lutron's Sivoia system can come with designer shade patterns in Frank Lloyd Wright and architectural "Toile" designs. Solar Shading Systems of Newport Beach, CA, meanwhile, has its own line of solar screens. And some fabricators, such as Electric Shade Co. in Florida, now do both fabrics and the motorization.

And if you're interested in measuring your window treatment needs for yourself, according to the experts you need about three times as much material as the width of the window for sheer drapes and two to two-and-a-half times for heavy drapery. Two times is often adequate for a home theater screen treatment. And you need to leave "stacking" room at the sides or the top.

You can also motorize and automate curved drapery tracks, awnings, exterior hurricane shutters, shutters that enclose porches and screened pool-area lanais, even the screens and windows themselves. These days, you can motorize just about any window or window treatment.

There certainly is a lot to think about when you get involved in motorized window treatments. And to think some couples can't even agree on the colors and fabrics.

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The EH Guide to Window Treatments

And other terms you want to know but are too embarrassed to ask because you don't want to show your feminine side.

If you're a gadget freak, but don't know jack about window treatments, here's a guide to the different types of window coverings you might encounter. Knowing what these are will so impress your significant other, he or she will have no choice but to allow you to motorize them!

• Roller shades You know these. They roll up and down on tubes and come in all different types, from solar shades you can still see through, to those that allow some light through, to total blackout shades.
• Roman shades Instead of rolling down, they fold down, and can be used to complement either a traditional or a contemporary decor.
• Austrian shades They fold down like Roman shades and are sometimes used to descend in front of home theater screens in more elaborate, traditionally appointed theaters.
• Woven woods A type of Roman shade made of reeds that allow some light to filter through. Very popular now, they show a masculine texture with a practical touch.
• Ripplefold drapery I have no idea what this is. There is a limit to what I will learn, you know. OK, I found out anyway: It's a kind of drape with ripple-like folds that stack back to the very ends of the track, and take up less width than conventionally pleated draperies.
• Wood blinds Think Venetian blinds made out of wood. Very cool, rich look for home offices.
• Duettes A Hunter Douglas brand of cellular shade with two fabric panels that form honeycomb shapes when viewed from the side. Duettes can act as good insulators, by holding warm or cool air between the panels.
• Duette Duolite An increasingly popular version of the Duette, but with a second fabric, often a sheer, behind it.
• Silhouette These include fabric vanes that can be tilted open like a wood blind to view the outside through sheer fabric. Made by Hunter Douglas.
• Vignette A woven front fabric is affixed to a soft white backing to form gently contoured folds on the interior side and show a uniform look from the outside.
• Top down, bottom up This refers to being able to roll a shade from the top down and from the bottom up.

Steven Castle is a Senior Editor and the resident wit of Electronic House magazine. Email Steve at scastle@ehpub.com.

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