Motors make light of shady situation

DEAR DESIGNER: I have honeycomb shades in my living room windows, under my draperies and sheers. I open and close them daily and it's become quite an annoyance to move all the fabrics in order to get the shades opened and closed. Now I am wishing that I ordered the remote control shades. Can a motorized system be installed in my existing shades? -- Carol

DEAR CAROL: After-market (already manufactured) shades as you describe can indeed be motorized. Although many original manufacturers won't motorize after the fact, there are companies that will.

The situation that you describe is a good reason to use a motorized shade. Motorized shades are handy for windows that are difficult to reach, whether it's due to height or due to layered window coverings that hinder access to the controls. And, with the improved battery-operated systems available today, it no longer takes an electrician and drywall patch to have your motorized shades installed.

There are two main types of motorization systems: infrared and radio frequency. Infrared has a red eye that is either in the headrail or attached to a wire and placed outside of your window coverings. You will need to point your remote in direct line of the red eye in order to operate your shade(s). Radio frequency does not have a red eye and can work through your window coverings or even a wall, if necessary. Understandably, radio frequency remotes are much more expensive than infrared.

The cost of motorizing your existing shades will, without a doubt, cost you more than they would have had you ordered them originally, but there are companies that will do it for a reasonable rate.

Adding motorization to your shade will mean that the entire headrail will need replacing. Batteries and/or components in motorized shades need more space than the slim headrails installed on manual shades allow. This means that the only part of your existing shade that will remain the same is the fabric and bottom rail.

Locally, BDD does this type of retrofitting using a Somfy motorization system. Somfy is a well-known company that provides top-of-the-line motorization, both battery operated as well as hard wired. Although BDD of Las Vegas is a wholesale distributor for many window coverings, if you give the company a call, someone will direct you to one of its retail clients who can help to get your shades motorized. For more information, visit http://bddinc.com/.

When making this decision, it is important to note that your original warranty will be lost once the shades are retrofitted. Be sure to ask the company that does the retrofitting what type of warranty it offers.

DEAR DESIGNER: I have a kitchen window that looks directly at my neighbors' home. I would like to let some sun shine in, but I don't want to see my neighbors' wall. What can I put on my kitchen window? -- Liz

DEAR LIZ: Hunter Douglas makes several shades that are called Top-Down/Bottom-Up. For this type of shade, you can drop the top down, bringing in the sunshine, while the bottom part remains closed, blocking an undesirable view.

If your shade is the only treatment on the window, consider ordering the Roman shade or woven wood to give your kitchen window some character. If you add a valance or side panels on your window, keep the shade simple by ordering a honeycomb shade.

Another option is to have your window fitted with stained or leaded glass. You can have a design made that fits your d écor. It will not change the function of your window, but will add an artistic charm to your room.

Generally, when covering a kitchen window, always select a window dressing that can be moved up or over, away from splashed water from the sink or cooking splatters.

Cindy Payne is a certified interior designer with more than 25 years of experience, a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, as well as a licensed contractor. Email questions to her at deardesigner@
projectdesigninteriors.com or send them to her at Project Design Interiors, 2620 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 189, Las Vegas, NV 89109. She can be reached online at www.projectdesigninteriors.com.