Motorized and electric shades
Motorization used to be a luxury line item. Rechargeable battery motors moved it into ordinary bedrooms and living rooms — and made it the standard answer for windows nobody can reach.
Power options
- Rechargeable battery wand — clips to the headrail, recharges by USB. The usual retrofit choice.
- Plug-in transformer — a small cable to a nearby outlet; no recharging, but a visible cord unless it is channelled.
- Hardwired low voltage — cleanest look, needs to be planned before drywall.
- Solar top-up panels — used on skylights and high windows where recharging is awkward.
Control
A handheld remote covers most homes. Wall-mounted keypads suit rooms where a remote gets lost, and a bridge or hub adds phone control, schedules and voice assistants. Group control — one button lowering every shade in a room — is often the feature clients notice most.
Where motorization earns its cost
Skylights, arched and clerestory windows, shades behind furniture, tall stairwell glazing, and any wall of windows that would otherwise take five minutes to operate by hand. It is also the reliable route to a completely cord-free home.
What to compare in the photos
- Whether the battery wand or cable is visible from inside the room.
- Cassette or fascia hiding the motor at the header.
- Banks of shades aligned at the same height — motorization makes that easy to see.
- Skylight and high-window installs, the hardest cases.
Frequently asked questions
- Do motorized shades need to be hardwired?
- No. Rechargeable battery wands and plug-in transformers cover most retrofits. Hardwiring is reserved for new construction, whole-home systems, and very large or frequently cycled shades.
- How long do the batteries last?
- It depends on shade size, how often it cycles and the motor. Members typically recharge battery wands once or twice a year on normal bedroom and living room use.
- Which shade types motorize best?
- Roller shades are the simplest and most common, followed by cellular shades and Roman shades. Verticals, panel tracks and drapery tracks can also be motorized for wide openings.
- When is motorization worth it?
- Tall or unreachable windows, skylights, banks of windows operated together, cord-free child safety, and anywhere a client wants shades on a schedule.