Totally get the battery anxiety thing, lol. Had a similar experience at my place when I first got the motorized shades—thought I was being all fancy and tech-savvy until I realized how often I'd be climbing up there to recharge them. 😂
If you're still considering motorized but want less hassle, might be worth looking into wired motorized shades instead. Bit more upfront effort (running wires isn't exactly a walk in the park), but once they're in, it's smooth sailing. No more monthly climbing expeditions, at least.
Another thought, if you prefer curtains: ceiling-mounted curtain tracks can handle seriously large windows pretty well. Did that for my friend's loft—huge windows and direct sunlight—and it looks great plus easy to open and close. Just make sure you anchor it properly into studs or ceiling joists... nothing kills the vibe faster than curtains crashing down mid-dinner party, trust me.
Either way, sounds like you're on the right track—big windows are awesome but definitely come with their own special set of headaches.
Went with wired motorized shades myself after the battery fiasco—can confirm, worth the hassle upfront. Though, routing those wires neatly was a weekend project I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy...
"routing those wires neatly was a weekend project I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy..."
Haha, sounds about right. I've been debating wired vs battery myself for our huge living room windows—seriously, they're like floor-to-ceiling beasts and I've procrastinated for months just because of the sheer intimidation factor. Did you run into any weird issues with fishing wires through walls or ceilings? Our home is older, and the thought of opening walls for wires makes me cringe a little.
Also curious—how noisy are your motorized shades? I checked out a friend's place recently and their battery-powered ones sounded like an old printer from the '90s every time they opened or closed. Kind of kills the whole "luxury smart home" vibe when you have to shout over your window coverings, lol.
Right now I'm leaning toward wired just because replacing batteries on windows that size seems like a nightmare waiting to happen (I can picture myself standing precariously on a ladder every few months... no thanks). But your wiring experience is giving me pause. Did you follow any specific tutorials or just wing it?
And one last thing—any regrets on going motorized? Wondering if manual shades might be simpler in the long run.
I went wired for our big windows too, and honestly, the wiring was a pain but worth it. Fishing wires through older walls is always a gamble—ran into random studs and insulation I didn't expect, so prepare yourself mentally for some drywall patching. Noise-wise, they're pretty quiet, nothing like your friend's printer shades lol.
"replacing batteries on windows that size seems like a nightmare waiting to happen"
Exactly why I avoided battery-powered. No regrets going motorized though... convenience beats manual any day, IMO.
I get the appeal of wired, but honestly, battery-powered shades have come a long way. We did ours about two years ago on some pretty massive windows, and I was skeptical too—figured I'd be up on a ladder swapping batteries every month. Turns out they last way longer than expected, easily 6-8 months between changes. Plus, installation was way simpler without tearing into drywall. Just something to consider if you're dreading the wiring hassle...
"Turns out they last way longer than expected, easily 6-8 months between changes."
Yeah, battery shades surprised me too. I put some up in our living room about a year ago, thinking I'd regret it every time the batteries died. But honestly, it's been pretty painless—only swapped them once so far. Plus, no drywall dust or wiring headaches... big win in my book. If you're on the fence, I'd say give battery-powered a shot.
big win in my book. If you're on the fence, I'd say give battery-powered a shot.
Battery shades sound convenient, but how do they handle really wide windows? I've got a huge picture window and worry the weight might drain batteries quicker or cause issues with smoothness... anyone tried them on larger setups?
I've got a huge picture window and worry the weight might drain batteries quicker or cause issues with smoothness... anyone tried them on larger setups?
I've wondered the same thing—battery life seems fine on smaller windows, but a big picture window might be pushing it. Maybe wired motorized shades would be better for heavier setups... anyone compared battery vs wired directly on wide windows?
Maybe wired motorized shades would be better for heavier setups... anyone compared battery vs wired directly on wide windows?
I've got battery-powered shades on a big-ish window (not massive, but decent size), and honestly... they're okay. But I wouldn't trust them on anything huge. Wired might be a safer bet if you want smooth operation without babysitting batteries every month or two.
We went with wired for our big living room windows, mainly because I didn’t want to deal with swapping out batteries on a ladder every few months. The installer said battery motors can burn out quicker if the shade’s heavy, and I believe it—my neighbor’s setup needed new batteries constantly. Wired was more upfront hassle (and cost), but honestly, it’s been set-and-forget since then. If your windows are really wide, I’d lean wired unless you love climbing ladders.