A customer contacted us in search of motorized window shades for his Spokane home. He wanted shades that would complement the Scandinavian architecture of his Spokane home and integrate with the existing Control4 home automation system. As we offer a range of manufacturers that operate seamlessly with Control4, we promptly scheduled an in-home consultation to better understand his specific requirements.
Upon our arrival, we couldn't help but notice the abundance of large windows in the home and we were pleased knowing that the homeowner had already realized the need for motorized shades. After careful consideration, we recommended roller window shades for the bedroom and solar shades for the common areas in his Spokane home.
- Wondering what makes these two types of shades different? Roller shades come in a variety of sheer fabrics, light-filtering privacy fabrics, and privacy room darkening fabrics. In comparison, solar shades are made from a screen-like material and typically come in openness percentages between 1% to 15%.
See our blog on solar shades for more information.
This customer specifically requested that the shades disappear when raised. To meet this requirement, we selected 3" black metal fascia to blend in with the black metal window frames throughout the home.
Solar Shades in the Common Areas
Starting our tour of the residence, we first examined our customer's front office, which featured a wall-to-wall bifolding door that opened onto a patio next to the entrance. The homeowner expressed his desire for a shade that would allow him to see outside but also provide privacy during the day, so he wouldn't feel obligated to acknowledge every delivery and disrupt his workflow. Our team recommended installing black solar shades with a matching black headrail to complement the door trim. Additionally, we made sure that the shades were reverse-rolled to clear the door handles.
During our conversation about solar shades, the customer expressed his interest in having them installed in all the common areas of his home, including the kitchen, living room, TV room, mudroom, and stairway. The primary reason behind this decision was to filter harmful UV rays and reduce the summer heat while still allowing his family to enjoy the beautiful views through the large windows. To ensure a perfect fit, we custom-deducted the fabric width on the floor-to-ceiling windows so that the shade lowered between the baseboard trim. Similarly, we deducted the shade fabric width on some doors so that the shades lowered behind the handles, while keeping a continuous look with the fascia.
Room Darkening Roller Shades In The Primary Bedroom
Investing in a black room darkening roller shade fabric for the primary bedroom not only adds a touch of sophistication to the space but also promotes a healthy lifestyle. Sleep plays a crucial role in overall well-being and room darkening influences various factors such as mood, productivity, and cognitive function. As regions like Spokane and North Idaho experience extended daylight hours during summer, it becomes important to create an environment conducive to quality sleep. The early sunrise and late sunset during this season can disrupt sleep patterns, making it imperative to create a dark and restful sanctuary. Our recommendation of a black room darkening fabric takes into account both aesthetic preferences and the need for a tranquil retreat, ensuring that the bedroom becomes a serene haven regardless of external lighting conditions.
Connecting The Shades To Control4
To enable the customer to use the app's automation and connect their shades to a home integration system like Control4, we installed a gateway that acts as a bridge between the shades and the home integration system via wifi. This allows the customer to operate and customize their shades, lights, speakers, thermostats, and more from one system! All the shades that we have discussed can be controlled using a remote, Powerview App, and Control4. Remote controls come with wall mounts or handheld pebbles available in different colors that complement any home design. With the Powerview app, you can control your shades independently, create scenes that move multiple shades at once, and schedule the movements of your shades throughout the year.
Need Motorized Window Shades For Your Spokane Or North Idaho Home?
We are your local window covering experts and we take pride in our knowledge, clear communication, industry-leading product lines, and customer service. Whether it's one window or an entire home, we will treat you just the same and offer our design consultations and quotes free of charge.
This Spokane Customer's Yelp Review
"Our project with Coeur Window Coverings started relatively small as our goal was to reduce heat from a number of large windows throughout our home. After the initial install of Hunter Douglas motorized shades on these few key large windows, we continued to add shades to windows throughout our home until eventually, all of our common area windows on the southern, western and eastern exposures were accounted for (which is A LOT of big windows!). Matt and Dan made multiple trips to account for the ever-growing project scope - making sure that everything looked and operated perfectly. The motorized shades are controlled by both wireless remotes AND via an app (PowerView). What's more, PowerView integrates flawlessly with our Control4 home automation system for complete astronomical automation. While this level of tech and convenience comes at a price, these shades are amazing and blend seamlessly with our aluminum windows and doors (see pic). We couldn't be more pleased with our investment. In fact, we plan to have Couer Window Coverings support us with our home addition planned for 2024. Thank you, Matt and Dan!!"
- Rob T.