getting the most from the somfy showroom
The showroom above is Somfy's own interactive tour. Walk room by room through a home and see how motorised blinds and curtains behave with different controls, before anyone measures a window. It is a good way to decide how you would like to operate things. What it can't tell you is which motor suits your windows, which is what this guide and our survey are for.
What you can try in the showroom
Pick a room, from kitchen and living room to bedroom, office or bathroom, and the showroom shows motorised roller, roman, pleated and sheer blinds and curtains fitted in it. Then switch between a handheld remote, a wall switch, an app and voice control to see how each feels day to day. It uses some American terms, shades for blinds and drapery for curtains, but the products work the same way here.
How Somfy motorisation works
Somfy motors use one of two radio systems in the UK. RTS is the long-established one-way system: a remote sends the command through walls with a range of around 20 metres, but the blind doesn't report back. io-homecontrol is two-way, so the app can confirm a blind has closed and show its position. Both run through the TaHoma switch hub, which adds schedules, scenes and Alexa or Google voice control. A sun sensor adjusts blinds to the strength of the light, and a wind sensor retracts an awning when the wind gets up, which counts on an exposed Cornish terrace.
Power is the other choice. Somfy's WireFree battery motors hide the battery in the tube, headrail or behind the curtain, and with normal use need charging about twice a year. Somfy says they suit smaller coverings best, so large blinds generally call for a mains motor.
common questions
Can I motorise the blinds I already have?
Often, yes. We retrofit Somfy motors to existing blinds and curtain tracks, so you don't always need new ones. Whether a particular blind can take a motor depends on its size and headrail, which we check at a free home survey.
Will it work with Alexa, Google or Apple Home?
Alexa and Google Home work through TaHoma. Apple Home is more limited: Somfy says it only supports certain io devices, so if Siri control matters to you, tell us at the survey and we will specify io motors that support it.
What happens after I've explored the showroom?
Book a free home survey. As an authorised Somfy installer, our own team visits, specifies the motors and controls, then fits and commissions everything, including pairing remotes and setting up TaHoma, across Cornwall, Plymouth and Devon. Somfy products carry a five-year motor warranty, and a remote works on its own if you'd rather add TaHoma later.