There's no denying technology can make our lives easier, especially when it comes to our homes. After all, we'd never dream of getting up to change the channel on the TV in the world of remote control nowadays. But what would it be like to not even need a remote, if you could control things with just your voice? That's the reality with smart electric blinds.
The whole concept of electric or, as they're sometimes called, motorised blinds is something that's really gaining momentum as an everyday product in people's homes, rather than something that's solely the purview of the rich and famous. The ease of use that no-touch blinds gives, especially for blinds that are high up or difficult to reach behind furniture is probably their biggest attraction. But it's not just electric blinds that are becoming more everyday, but also smart blinds. Smart blinds take that notion of convenience and really evolve it much further.Â
Smart blinds are blinds that you can operate through a smart sytem, be it an app on a smartphone or tablet, or a smart home voice command system like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The majority of people nowadays have their mobile to hand from the moment they get up so it's a lot more convenient than trying to remember where you left the remote control and so it makes sense to integrate control into something that's literally always to hand.Â
The secret to the smart system lies in a hub, pretty similar to the type you probably use for your home Wi-Fi internet. This hub is the communication bridge between the app on your phone and the blind, or your voice command device like the Echo, for example. Just as your phone or tablet easily connects to your internet hub, so it is to set up the hub for your smart blinds and link it to the relevant apps and once set up, your phone, apps or system devices will continue to recognise the hub automatically and talk to it whenever you require.
With smart control you're able to do so much more than simply raise or lower your blinds - through the bonus of being able to ask Alexa to lower your blind while you're in the kitchen up to your elbows baking, cooking or soapy water should definitely not be overlooked!
With smart blinds you can set the scenes for your blinds and simply tell your system to activate that scene when the time is right. For example, set a "Movie Night" scene with your blinds at just the right position to create the perfect viewing atmosphere. And when the popcorn's ready and you're sitting comfortably just ask for your system to go to Movie Night and you're good to go. Or perhaps you've had the blinds lowered in your conservatory through the day to prevent it overheating and now you're ready to enjoy the sun. You can literally ask it to go to that scene as you're making your way there, and the blinds will be raised and the sun warming the room before you know it - ideal if you need to operate multiple blinds all at once.Â
The range of blinds that can be smart controlled is growing all the time but broadly speaking if your blind is already motorised and controlled by a remote then the chances are you can simply purchase a compatible hub and set it up to communicate with your blind. With Thomas Sanderson our levels of service ensure we can help you make the right decision when it comes to choosing blinds and how to control them and right now you can choose from Duette® blinds, Roman blinds and Pleated conservatory roof blinds, with more options being added in the next few months.
Duette® blinds are one of the most multi-tasking high-functioning blinds we offer so it’ll come as no surprise that we now offer them with smart functionality so that you can easily control them with a smart controller. Energy-efficient thanks to the honeycomb design that holds onto any warm air that may escape out your window there’s definitely more to them than meets the eye and they’re an excellent choice for any smart home setup and with all the different benefits they offer, plus the range of fabrics and colours, we think they're one of the best smart blinds you can choose.
You may be surprised that Roman blinds are motorised blinds because they’re such a classic style that’s so familiar and seen as very traditional and you'd never think they could be controlled by voice commands, but we've brought this popular look right up to date with remote, app and voice control.
Using voice commands to control your conservatory blinds really gives you effortless control over your existing blinds and the natural light that's such a prominent feature of conservatories, And of course there’s the obvious benefit that with so many blinds to control if you have a large conservatory you definitely don’t want to be doing this manually, raising or lowering them one by one, as by the time you get to the last one the sun will have moved and you’ll have to start all over again! Currently you can choose from Pleated and Duette® blinds for your conservatory roof for smart voice control, and Duette® or Roman blinds for the regular side windows and doors with smart functionality.
There’s a whole host of scenarios where you and your home could benefit from electric blinds and additionally those operated by voice control. Lantern windows are growing in popularity, as people seek to extend their homes but are restricted to single storeys, and they're a practical way of increasing light flow and are also a strong visual feature. But unless your ceilings are really low, you'll struggle to operate many different window treatments. Motorised shades are a real boon here but a smart blind is even better. Why? Because many people use these spaces as dining areas, often with the table directly underneath the lantern window, so you can really benefit from an al fresco feel without having to worry about insects or napkins flying off the table in the wind, or, worse still, a sudden change in the weather. But as your meal progresses the sun will move and you could end up with one end of the table in glare while the other is still shaded and no-one wants to get up from the table and search for a remote. Simple voice commands will effortlessly fix the problem while you're still in situ at the table - the best place to judge exactly where you blind needs to be. Our Duette® blinds are the right smart blinds for this attractive window feature and controlling them by voice assistant really makes for a smart home.
