Motorised Roman blinds bring together the soft elegance of fabric and the convenience of modern technology. With a remote, wall switch, app or full home automation, you can raise and lower blinds effortlessly — even on tall windows, wide spans or hard-to-reach areas. The motor is discreet, the blind looks exactly as a hand-operated Roman would, and daily life becomes noticeably easier.
At Hay Interiors we make motorised Romans properly in our Nedlands workroom from quality curtain fabrics, using Acmeda and Somfy motorisation. The blind keeps the beautiful drape and refined appearance that defines our Roman blinds work — motorisation adds convenience without compromising the look.
The blinds in the video are motorised London blinds, fitted in a Perth home where a spiral staircase runs directly in front of the windows. London blinds are one of the traditional styles few Perth workrooms still make, and they are precisely the kind of blind motorisation suits — the fabric is generous, the gathers are the whole point of the style, and reaching past a staircase to operate them by hand was never going to be practical. Almost any of our Roman blind styles can be motorised, including the decorative ones.
Annie helps you decide whether motorisation is right for your windows. It’s especially worthwhile for:
The same systems run our motorised curtains and motorised roller blinds, , so Romans can sit on one platform alongside the rest of the house.
Motorisation is only as good as the blind it moves. We make the Romans in-house, ensuring the fabric weight, lining and construction suit the chosen motor system perfectly — so everything works together reliably for years. Acmeda and Somfy are two of the most trusted motorisation systems in the Australian market: quiet, reliable and compatible with common home-automation platforms including voice control and app operation. Both hardwired and rechargeable battery options are available. Control options include:
Motorisation also removes the operating cord altogether. Hanging cords and chains are a recognised strangulation hazard for young children, which is why corded blinds carry mandatory safety requirements in Australia. In a nursery, a child’s bedroom or a playroom, a motorised blind removes the risk rather than managing it — and it is the reason a growing number of our clients with small children choose motorisation on those rooms specifically.
Motorised Romans need very little upkeep. Dust the fabric as you would any blind, spot-clean spills promptly, and have the fabric professionally cleaned every twelve to eighteen months — sooner for pale colours. Battery systems need the batteries recharged or replaced periodically; hardwired systems do not. Annie will run through the specifics for the system you choose at handover.
If you’re building or renovating, flagging motorisation early lets us specify the right provisions before walls are plastered — a small detail that avoids significant cost later. Annie gives honest advice on whether motorisation genuinely improves daily life for each window, or whether a well-made manual Roman would serve you just as well. Explore our curtain fabrics library for the wide range of fabrics available in motorised Romans. Cost depends on the span, the fabric weight and whether the motor is hardwired or battery — Annie will explain what drives it before you commit to anything.
Motorisation suits most Roman blind styles. Classic Roman blinds, relaxed Roman blinds, soft Roman blinds and waterfall Roman blinds all work very well with motorised systems — their construction suits the motor’s operation naturally. The more decorative styles — London blinds, Austrian blinds and festoon blinds — can also be motorised where appropriate, though Annie advises on suitability case by case, as their gathered construction requires careful motor specification. Whatever the style, the result is a blind that operates smoothly, quietly and effortlessly every time.
We measure, make and install right across the Perth suburbs we serve.
The best way to begin is to visit our showroom in Nedlands. You can explore hundreds of fabric samples in natural light, see finished examples, and often watch work happening in the attached workroom. Annie or a member of the team is always happy to talk through possibilities and answer questions.
Alternatively, we can arrange an in-home consultation at a time that suits you. This has the advantage of enabling us to consider your actual windows and provide advice on the best window dressings for your space.
Either way, you will receive honest, expert guidance focused entirely on what is right for your windows and your home.
We look forward to helping you create window furnishings you will love for many years to come.
We use Acmeda and Somfy systems — two of the most trusted in the Australian market — available hardwired or with rechargeable batteries, and compatible with common home-automation platforms including app and voice control.
Motorisation is best designed in from the start so the fabric weight and construction suit the motor. If you have existing Romans you’d like to motorise, Annie will assess suitability and advise on the best approach.
It depends on the window and who’s using it. For tall, wide or hard-to-reach windows they earn their keep straight away, and they reduce handling, which is what wears fabric over time. For anyone with limited mobility or reach, motorisation is often the difference between using a blind daily and leaving it where it sits — and on a bank of windows it lets every blind align at exactly the same height, which manual cords never quite manage. In homes with young children it also removes the operating cord entirely, and cords are a recognised safety hazard. For a small, easily reached window in a room you’re rarely fussed about, Annie will tell you honestly that a well-made manual Roman is the better spend.
