When creating the Draper At Home line of motorized roller shades, we had a choice: limit integrator options with a siloed approach or provide options for seamless shade integration with as many smart home systems as possible. We chose the latter. Here’s why.
“Integration” and “experience” are two very important buzzwords for the custom install industry. After all, what we’re offering customers is a more comfortable, luxurious lifestyle thanks to all of the smart technologies that are integrated into their homes.
So why do some shading companies want to limit themselves?
Power Your Way
Not all projects are created equal. A client looking to retrofit shades into an existing smart home will likely not want their walls torn up to run wiring for power. A new build offers more flexibility, so powering the shades is down to integrator or client preference.
Draper At Home is powered by Somfy with options for whatever scenario you’re looking at. Line voltage, low voltage, battery power – we have multiple solutions for each!
How do you Communicate?
Communication type determines how data and commands get from the end user to the shade motors. There are three main types of communication found in Draper at Home window shades.
Wireless: The adoption of Zigbee as a mesh technology has taken the traditional radio frequency approach and built on it by increasing reliability and range. The mesh approach means that each device on the network acts as a wireless receiver and transmitter of data, so that all devices are sharing information with each other.
IP: Be it hardwired through the home network or wirelessly over Wi-Fi, IP communication allows roller shades to be controlled by the homeowner’s existing network to integrate seamlessly with other smart technologies being used in the home. This provides a unified end user experience.
Serial: The reliability and robustness of hardwired serial integration keeps serial communication as a viable option for integrators. They like the solid two-way communication and the ability to precisely control shades motors from a home automation system.
Limitless Integration
Most integrators have their own favorite control systems and partners. That’s understandable. We all have our preferences about how things should work. But restricting your products to a single integration system can limit your options, and your customers’ experience.
That’s why Draper At Home roller shades are powered by Somfy to work with many different technology partners. We want to help you deliver a seamless integration experience to your clients. Here are some examples of our compatibility:
- Apple Homekit
- Google Assistant
- Amazon Alexa
- Josh.ai
- Philips Hue
- Sonos
- Control4®
- Crestron
- Savant
- Elan
- RTI
- URC
- Brilliant
- IFTTT
- Samsung SmartThings
But there’s another type of integration as well.
Aesthetic Integration
We believe window shades are more than technology. The right fabric weave, openness, and color play an integral role in creating a sense of calm, comfort – in short, home.
So, again, why limit the choices available?
Draper At Home shades are available in any custom color your customer might want. Our Certified Digital Color Professionals have trained with the Printing United Alliance, an industry trade organization, to become experts at producing consistent and accurate color. In addition, we utilize color reference guides and high-tech equipment to ensure every custom color shade panel is just what you want. Paint chips, fabric swatches, Pantone or other color numbers – we can take any of these and produce just what your client wants.
Now those roller shades aren’t just integrated into smart home controls; they’re integrated into the spiritual and emotional aesthetic that informs the entire home design!
And who wouldn’t want that level of design intimacy?
Click here to find your perfect, limitless home shading solution today!
Featured image: Private Residence in McCall, Idaho, featuring FlexShade Battery Zigbee roller shades with Phifer SheerWeave 7250 Oyster and Opaque 7200 0% Oyster. Manufacturer’s Rep: Performance Plus Marketing. Dealer & Installer: K2 Home Solutions. Photographer: David Fish Photography.
