SmartWings Motorized Window Blinds

I love Tech things. Some years ago I jumped on the home automation bandwagon with a new program called Home Assistant.  I automated a huge chunk of my old house.   At that time I considered getting some smart blinds or curtains.  People were pioneering DIY solutions and I just never pulled the trigger.  Fast Forward to 2024 and the company SmartWings contacted me and asked me if I was interested in reviewing their smart blinds.

You betcha I was interested.  They told me I could build up one set of blinds in any configuration  and send them a screenshot and they would send me one.   So I did just that.  My wife picked out the fabric and style and I picked out the hardware configuration.

Configuration

Of particular note I got a right side motor (closer to my AC outlet for charging) and I added a 5 channel remote and a Z-Wave Motor.   I have an Aeotech Z-Wave controller on my home automation console.   Pairing the shades to my controller was a piece of cake.

I put my Aeotech controller in pairing mode and then pressed and held the button on the SmartWings blinds for 6 seconds and the controller instantly paired.  After rebooting Home Assistant a device called Smart Curtain Motor was displayed and adding it to my Dashboard was even easier than pairing.

 

I was expecting a gun fight however I had it paired in literally seconds.  It was super easy!  And it incorporates with Amazon Alexa.  Voice Commands!

Additionally, you can choose a Zigbee controlled motor.  Zigbee and Z-Wave will work with almost all home automation platforms.   Again, I use Home Assistant.

Installation

Installation was smooth and easy.  The blinds are 100% ready to roll and you only need to remove the excellent packing tape and styrofoam that they include to protect the strings.   Then you simply install 2 brackets.  The brackets have a threaded rod that points down.  The wooden frame has slots on both ends.  Then you simply tighten two wing nuts to hold it in place.

I swear to you that this was easier to install than common blinds that you might buy at Lowe’s, Walmart, or Home Depot.   Seriously.   I’m stunned and amazed at how quickly I had this installed and paired with my remote and Z-Wave controller.

In The Box

Included in the box was the blind assembly. Brackets, screws, remote, charging cord and some EXCELLENT documentation.  Also was a package with a few pieces of material that I assume are for repairs or patching.  NOTE:  Not everything is depicted in the photo below.

Opinions

The only opinion that matters regarding furnishings in this house belongs to the wife.  I’d be happy with newspaper taped over the windows.  Hey, I’m a guy.

When my wife came home from work and came upstairs to see what all the noise was about I asked her “Do you like it?”  She responded with an emphatic “I LOVE IT”.

Despite the fact that I’d have left the old treatments installed until Judgement Day I have to say I love it too.  And even better I love the tech aspect of it.  Later today I will write some automations to maybe raise the blinds to 50% at sunrise and lower after sunset.  Writing automations in Home Assistant is easy!

Colors And Styles

Wow!  Too many choices to mention.  Their website lists so many fabrics and different kinds of window treatments.   Even the drop down box for “Blinds and Shades” has a lot of entries.

So many fabrics for each treatment as well.

What I Don’t Like

Now my wife wants a house full of these.   That is my only issue!

Wrap Up

These motorized blinds are well built, beautiful, with plenty of affordable options.  The fact that they can be remote controlled or controlled via smart phone apps, or via a home automation platform is a huge plus.   I review a lot of items and while most are cool, these SmartWings blinds elevate the style of our guest room to the next level.

Installation is so simple as well.  And I was able to do it by myself.  One person job.

JOHN’S TECH BLOG LOVES SMARTWINGS MOTORIZED BLINDS AND THINKS YOU SHOULD BUY SOME!