Motorised blinds and awnings that think for themselves

How quiet is a motorised blind?

The question almost every client asks before they commit. The short answer: quieter than you expect.

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.

Motion by Coulisse battery motors are similarly quiet and add the advantage of no wiring requirement. A rechargeable motor installs in any existing blind headrail without a 220V outlet nearby, which matters in older Garden Route homes where running new cabling is disruptive.

For large outdoor blinds and awnings, the motor is housed in the headrail cassette away from the living space. On a 4-metre patio blind, you hear the blind moving — not the motor.

What happens to my automated blinds when the power goes out?

South Africa’s grid makes this the single most practical question in home automation. The answer depends on which motor you choose — and that choice is worth making deliberately.

Hardwired Somfy motors hold their last position when power cuts. The blind or awning stays where it was. When power returns, the motor resumes normal operation immediately with no reprogramming required. For most indoor blinds in a home with a UPS on the router, this is sufficient.

For awnings and outdoor blinds, the picture changes. A large awning extended during a storm is a liability. For these applications, Custom Blinds recommends one of two approaches.

The first is a battery-operated motor. Somfy’s battery range runs entirely on rechargeable or replaceable batteries, independent of mains power. Operation during a power cut is identical to normal operation.

The second is a solar motor. Somfy’s RS100 Solar IO runs off a 5.8W solar panel with a NiMH battery backup, IP44 rated for outdoor use. It charges continuously in daylight and operates through extended power cuts without any intervention.

For awnings specifically, the Eolis 3D wind sensor adds another layer. It operates wirelessly and retracts the awning when wind movement exceeds your set threshold — regardless of whether the power is on or off.

Ask Duncan which motor suits your specific installation when you book a design visit.

Will my motorised blinds work with my smart home?

Both systems Custom Blinds installs integrate with the major smart home platforms. The choice between them comes down to what you already have in your home.

Somfy uses TaHoma as the bridge between motors and smart home ecosystems. Via TaHoma, Somfy motors connect to Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings. You can group blinds into scenes, set schedules by room, and trigger automation based on time, temperature, or sun position.

A practical example for a Garden Route home: a west-facing study with a Somfy roller blind set to lower at 11:00 on weekdays and raise at 16:00. No manual operation. No overheating. No bleached screen from afternoon glare.

Motion by Coulisse uses Matter and Thread — the 2024 cross-platform standard that works natively with Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa without a separate hub. Battery-powered with smartphone pairing in minutes. For modern smart homes or rentals where hub complexity is unwanted, this is the cleaner solution.

Custom Blinds designs and programmes both systems. We handle the integration so you do not need to.

What protects my awning when I am not home?

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.

The protection system Custom Blinds installs for unattended awnings has two components.

The first is the Eolis 3D wind sensor. It mounts on the awning’s front bar and uses patented three-axis detection — horizontal, vertical, and lateral movement. When movement exceeds your set threshold, it sends a signal to retract the awning. The threshold is programmable by shaking the awning to calibrate it to your specific exposure. It operates on batteries, wirelessly, with no mains connection required.

The second is io-homecontrol, Somfy’s two-way motor protocol. Unlike one-way RTS motors, io motors confirm every command was received and executed. The Somfy Drive Control system continuously monitors torque and speed. Any sudden resistance — a stuck guide, a foreign object, unexpected load — triggers an automatic stop. You receive feedback via the app that something needs attention.

Together, the wind sensor and io motor give you an awning that manages itself. The wind sensor handles weather. The motor handles mechanical protection. You handle nothing until something needs your attention — and even then, the app tells you what it is before you leave your desk.