There are still people alive today who can remember a time before blinds. However, the pace of technology is increasing, and now traditional blinds are almost obsolete. In their place are a whole range of space-age remote-controlled technological wonders.
Motorized Shades
Motorized shades can suit virtually any purpose. They can be dark, heavy blinds that change a room from bright sunlight to pitch darkness with the click of a button. They can be cellular shades that just add privacy to a room. They can be UV shades that protect you against the sun.
Other motorized blinds include:
- Fitted Roller blindsRoller blinds are a single sheet of material the rolls down over the window. Nothing special there. However, “fitted” roller blinds are mechanized blinds where the sheet is pulled tight over the window. According to researchers, this is the most energy efficient blind design possible.
- Cascade blindsThese blinds are stitched together to unfold in a free-falling, Jacob’s Ladder pattern.
- Bottom up blindsThese blinds rise from the bottom to the top. The effect of all these blinds rising by themselves is almost eerie.
- Speaker blinds
- These are functional window blinds that are also high fidelity speakers. Each strip is separately wired to act as its own mini-speaker. You can roll them up to use the window during the day, then roll them down to use them as speakers at night. These are great for small but rocking party apartments.
- Mechanized shuttersThese are like normal window shutters. However, instead of opening them by hand, they will swing open with the push of a button, like automatic doors.
However, advanced as these may seem, motorized blinds are getting even more advanced. Recent models can be managed by remote control. Some can even by a web app through your house’s Wi-Fi. Some people even manage their blinds from their laptops, programming in the appropriate opening and closing times. Setting your blinds up to automatically open during the day and close at night does wonders for your home’s energy efficiency. It also saves you from some daily busywork.
Remote controlled blinds make you feel like Batman. Just by clicking a button, you can change the whole appearance and ambience of a room.
Hi-Tech Drapes
Yes, unbelievable as it may seem, there is such a thing as hi-tech drapes. Drape opening and closing technology may have hit a peak centuries ago, but the technology of their materials keeps getting better and better.
Some drapes now come with built-in thermal insulation. This helps keep your house warm in the winter and cold in the summer.
Recent experiments have led to new ultra-dark materials. These materials are blacker than any naturally occurring substance. Many of these materials are being incorporated into drape fabric to better block out light.
Do I Need Hi-Tech Blinds?
Strictly speaking, you don’t need blinds at all. A well-pinned sheet would do the trick. However, if you want hi-tech blinds, they are relatively cheap and getting cheaper. Our parents’ generation could never have imagined how easy it would be to turn an ordinary room into something out of a Batman movie.
