automation
Somfy and Motion by Coulisse automation for Garden Route homes. Whisper-quiet motors, wind and sun sensors, smart home integration, and backup operation when the power goes out.
10,000+ installations since 2010
Knysna accredited Somfy expert
Authorised Motion by Coulisse partner
5-year motor warranty
Garden Route consultations:
The bedroom softens at sunrise without an alarm. The patio blind lowers before midday heat builds. The awning folds itself when the wind picks up on the coast, whether you are home or not.
Custom Blinds holds Somfy Expert status and specialises in outdoor automation across the Garden Route: from complex louvre systems with integrated lighting and wind sensors to motorised awnings, Ziptrak outdoor blinds, SheerWeave screen blinds, PVC outdoor blinds, and cafe blinds for South Africa’s most prestigious hospitality venues. Indoor roller blind automation is available nationwide through the online shop or by personal consultation.
Outdoor motorisation on the Garden Route is a different discipline to indoor automation. Salt air corrodes standard fixings. Berg winds in George load awning arms to the limit. Ocean exposure in Plettenberg Bay demands marine-grade hardware at every bracket. Getting it right means specifying the correct motor for wind load and span, the correct sensor protocol, and the correct mounting for coastal conditions. Duncan Kane has been doing this for 20+ years. The wind sensor calibration, the motor torque calculation, the io versus RTS decision for a specific exposure: these are decisions made on site.
Motorisation is a Garden Route installation service for blinds, awnings, shutters and outdoor blinds. Battery-powered motors suit retrofit installations with no wiring required. Hardwired motors suit new builds and major renovations. For more information, contact us.
Quieter than you expect. Somfy’s Sonesse Ultra motor is rated at 38dB, roughly the acoustic equivalent of a quiet library. Brake, rotor and gearbox are purpose-built to absorb vibration rather than transmit it. In practice, a motorised roller blind in a bedroom moves with a soft hum you stop noticing within a week. Motion by Coulisse battery motors are similarly quiet.
Somfy’s Sonesse Ultra motor is rated at 38dB, the acoustic equivalent of a quiet library. The brake, rotor, and gearbox are purpose-built to absorb vibration rather than transmit it. In practice, a motorised roller blind in a bedroom moves with a soft hum you stop noticing within a week.
South Africa’s grid makes this the single most practical question in home automation, with 3 motor types responding differently. Hardwired Somfy motors hold their last position when power cuts and resume immediately when power returns with no reprogramming required. Battery-powered and solar motors operate independently of mains power entirely. The choice between them is worth making deliberately.
Ask Duncan which motor suits your specific installation when you book a design visit.
Yes. Both motor systems Custom Blinds installs integrate with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings. Somfy uses TaHoma as the bridge, and Apple Home works with io-homecontrol motors only, not RTS. Motion uses the MotionBlinds hub. The choice between them comes down to what you already have in your home.
Custom Blinds designs and programmes both systems. We handle the integration so you do not need to.
An awning left extended during a Garden Route southeaster is not just an inconvenience. A 4-metre folding-arm awning catches wind like a sail. The arms can bend, the fabric can tear, and the mounting fixings can pull from the wall, sometimes taking plaster with them.
“On the Garden Route, the wind sensor is not optional. I specify it on every outdoor installation. An awning without one is a liability the first time you leave for the weekend.”
The Somfy Sonesse Ultra motor is rated at 38dB, the acoustic equivalent of a quiet library. Purpose-built internal damping absorbs vibration so the motor does not transmit noise through the headrail. For bedrooms, home offices, and open-plan spaces, motorised blinds with Sonesse motors are inaudible at normal conversation volume.
Hardwired Somfy motors hold their last position when power cuts and resume immediately when it returns with no reprogramming. For awnings and outdoor blinds, Custom Blinds recommends battery or solar motors that operate independently of mains power. The Somfy RS100 Solar IO runs entirely off-grid on a 5.8W solar panel with battery backup, IP44 rated for outdoor use.
Yes. Via the TaHoma hub, Somfy motors connect to Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings, and io-homecontrol motors (not RTS) to Apple Home. You can set schedules, create scenes, and control blinds by voice. Motion by Coulisse integrates via Matter and Thread without a separate hub, compatible with all major platforms including Apple Home.
The Somfy Eolis 3D wind sensor mounts on the awning’s front bar and detects movement in three axes. When wind exceeds your set threshold, it automatically retracts the awning, even when you are not home. It operates on batteries without a mains connection. For io motors, Drive Control continuously monitors torque and stops the motor if unexpected resistance is detected.
Somfy io motors include continuous torque monitoring. If the motor detects unexpected resistance during operation, a child, pet, or object in the path, it stops immediately. There are no exposed cords, which removes the primary safety risk of manual blinds for young children. All Custom Blinds automated systems are cordless by design.
Yes in most cases. Motion by Coulisse battery motors retrofit into existing roller blind headrails without rewiring. Somfy RTS motors can replace manual mechanisms in many awning systems. Custom Blinds assesses each installation on site before recommending a retrofit approach. Book a design visit via WhatsApp for a no-obligation assessment.
Custom Blinds installs automation systems across the Garden Route, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, George, Sedgefield, Wilderness, and Mossel Bay. Read the full motorised blinds guide for national product information or WhatsApp Duncan directly for a Garden Route consultation.
Automation by location:
Automation by brand: Motion Blinds by Coulisse
Duncan visits your home, assesses your windows and outdoor spaces, and designs an automation system that fits your lifestyle and budget. No obligation.
Custom Blinds® is a Garden Route window covering specialist established in 2010. Custom Blinds South Africa serves Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, George, Sedgefield, Wilderness, and Mossel Bay. A certified Somfy expert and authorised Motion by Coulisse partner, Custom Blinds designs, installs, and services automated blind and awning systems across the Garden Route. Products include motorised roller blinds, motorised outdoor blinds, automated louvred awnings, and retractable folding-arm awnings with wind and sun sensor integration. Custom Blinds® is a registered trade mark.
Send rough sizes, a photo or two of the opening and anything you already know. We come back on fabric, system and pricing, usually within one working day.
We have what we need to start on your assessment. Expect a reply on the number you gave, usually within one working day.