We’re delighted to let our customers know that Expression Blinds can now build and install smart blinds and electric blinds, made to measure in a variety of styles. Whether you need smart roller blinds or electric venetian blinds to finish turning your house into a smart home, we can build and install exactly what you’re looking for.
Smart Blinds & Electric Blinds
Smart Blinds Now Available From Expression Blinds
Like all of our work as blinds fitters and manufacturers, the smart blinds that we make are built completely to your specifications, after a consultation where your fitter will take careful measurements and discuss all your options with you, including blinds types, materials, patterns and the types of smart or electric integration you’re looking for.
This means that your electric blinds will be bespoke, one-of-a-kind items that will fit perfectly and last for years. We have hundreds of materials, colours and patterns available, and plenty of blinds types too – just ask your fitter about it or visit our Blinds pages to find out more!
What Are Smart Blinds?
Smart blinds are a blinds type that include built-in electric motors, which can be programmed to raise or lower on a set schedule or controlled remotely. Talk to your fitter about the types of control available – it can be very convenient to integrate your smart blinds with your home assistant, like Alexa, Google Home of NEST, so that you can control the blinds simply with your voice! Other smart blinds types can use mobile apps or internet connectivity to be controlled remotely, and some even include a light sensor so that they can adjust themselves to suit the amount of light coming in! They are sometimes called automated blinds, electric shades or Alexa blinds, after the common home assistant that often controls them.
What Are The Benefits of Smart Blinds?
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Convenience & Ease of Use
The first and most obvious benefit of smart blinds is the convenience of them – they’re designed to be operated remotely, at either the press of a button or a voice command, so whichever blinds type you choose, they will be the most convenient and easy to use blinds in our entire range.
After all, no other blinds let you raise or lower them at just a word!
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Many Smart Blinds Can Be Operated Even When You’re Not At Home
If they’re synced to your Alexa or controlled by an app, then you can operate your electric blinds even when you’re not home – which makes it much more effective to set timer switches on lights and create the impression that someone is in the house. Coupled with having a trusted friend or relative keep an eye on the house, this sort of illusion can be a great way to stop anyone realising that your house is empty when you’re on holiday. It can also be a great way to make sure your houseplants get the right dose of sunshine during the day when you’re away!
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Smart Blinds Can Help You Save On Electricity
It might seem counterintuitive to have electric blinds and save on electricity, but smart blinds really can help you save on lighting costs by making the most of the available natural light! This is most pronounced in smart blinds that include a light sensor and automatically adjust themselves to keep the light level in the room optimal, but it’s also a fact of voice-activated or remote-controlled blinds. Since they’re so effortless to operate, letting the sunlight in is as easy as pressing a button!
Whatever your requirements, we provide impartial advice to customers in Manchester, Stockport, Cheshire, Liverpool and surrounding areas – so why not call today?
Popular Smart Blinds Types
Some of our most popular smart blinds types include:
Electric Roller Blinds
Velux Smart Blinds
Electric Blackout Blinds
Electric Roman Blinds
Electric Venetian Blinds
Electric Conservatory Blinds
As well as these, we can automate almost every blinds type, and create bespoke smart blinds solutions to suit you! Get in touch today to find out more, or give us a call to book a consultation.
The Features of Smart Blinds
Smart blinds come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but they all have a few things in common. You can expect your options to include:
A Built-In Motor
This is what makes your blinds actually move – and it’s always a small, quiet electric motor. At Expression Blinds, when we build smart blinds, we install these motors in a discreet, tucked-away part of the blinds casing, so they’re not obvious or obtrusive.
Remote Control Capability
Whether it’s via voice, a remote or an app, the ability to control your blinds without touching them is the defining feature of electric blinds, so all our smart blinds installations include some form of remote control capability as standard.
The Ability To Sync To A Home Assistant
If you use a home virtual assistant, like Alexa, Google, or NEST, then you may wish to sync that up with your smart blinds to allow remote voice control of the blinds. Once you’ve connected your lighting as well, you’ll be able to completely change the lighting and ambience of a room to suit your mood, with just a few words!
Light/Time of Day Sensors
Some smart blinds even include a light sensor, which can be programmed to allow them to adjust themselves to suit the amount of light outside! Talk to your fitter about whether we’re currently able to offer this feature, as it also includes the ability to detect sunrise or sunset and respond accordingly, or open and close at a prearranged time. Definitely a useful feature in your blinds!
Why choose us?
We’re a local, family-run business that is passionate about what we do. We love adding more layers of design to your rooms through beautiful blinds.
Seeing it all come together leaves you happy, and your satisfaction makes us happy.
Made in the UK
Home Fitting Service
Made to Measure Blinds
Fully Insured Service
Smart Blinds FAQs
Can Expression Blinds Make Any Blinds Smart?
At Expression Blinds, we’ve been making custom blinds – including electric and motorised blinds – for more than 10 years, and we’ve got more than enough experience to make just about any project work. Most of our blinds range can be easily automated, and some of the most popular blinds are the easiest to make “smart”, from electric roller blinds and electric venetian blinds, to smart Velux blinds and perfect fit or INTU blinds.
Give us a call today or talk to your fitter during your consultation to talk through what you’re looking for and whether we’re able to make it smart and pack in all the features you’re after – we’re sure we’ll be able to help you!
Do You Need A Wi-Fi Connection To Operate Your Smart Blinds?
Smart blinds don’t always need a wi-fi connection, but some, like Alexa blinds, which use an internet-enabled service to work, do need the ability to communicate via wi-fi to receive their orders. Ask your fitter which types would be best for you – remote-controlled blinds which come with an actual remote won’t need any wi-fi access at all, for example.
Are Smart Blinds Difficult/Tricky to Use?
Completely the opposite – nothing could be easier! Smart blinds let you adjust the blinds to the perfect level, often without needing to even lift a finger. If you’ve opted for Alexa blinds or another virtual-assistant-based smart blinds type, then you can use a voice command which you set yourself. It’s simple and intuitive, and you’ll definitely get used to never needing to manually open and shut the blinds!
How Long Is The Waiting List For Smart Blinds?
Expression Blinds always get our fitters out to you as soon as possible for your initial consultation, where they’ll ask you what you’re looking for, provide all your options, take all the necessary measurements, and deliver a quote. They’ll also be able to tell you then how long you can expect to wait for the finished product, although we always endeavour to make your wait as short as possible. Get in touch to find out what our production schedule is currently like and get an estimate for your delivery time!
What’s the Installation Process Like for Smart Blinds?
As we mentioned above, the first thing that happens is that one of our expert fitters will come out for a consultation, where they’ll give you all the information you need and talk you through the available blinds and the blinds-fitting process. They’ll be able to provide you with a quote, and take all the measurements needed for your blinds to fit perfectly.
Once that’s done, you pay a 50% deposit to cover materials and manufacturing (since every blinds set made is custom-built to your requirements, they’re often impossible to sell on or reuse if a client cancels an order) and our manufacturing team gets to work making your smart blinds. We can make a huge range of blinds types, patterns and materials, so let us know what you want!
Once your blinds have been built and tested, your fitter will arrange a date to come back and install them – a quick, efficient and seamless process, since the blinds have been purpose-built for that space and will always fit perfectly!
After that, you’re done, and you can enjoy your new smart blinds!
Can I Choose What Type Of Smart Blinds I Get?
You absolutely can – at Expression Blinds, we can make a huge range of blinds smart, from classics like electric roller blinds to more unique and complex designs, like Velux smart blinds. No matter the design, size, colour, material or pattern, just let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll get to work on your smart blinds!
Are There Other Blinds Types Available?
If Smart or Electric Blinds aren’t quite the right fit for you, you can check out our other blinds types to find something perfect for you – or talk to our fitters to get their expert opinion!
We also stock:
Pleated Blinds
Roller Blinds
Roman Blinds
Venetian Blinds
Vertical Blinds
Wooden Blinds
Velux Blinds
Motorised Blinds
Commercial Blinds
Conservatory Blinds
Commercial Blinds
We know you’ll find the perfect blinds for you!
