Graywind Roller Shades 100% Blackout Window Shades Fabric Sample

My window’s shades were beginning to crack, rattle and disintegrate. Just trying to move them was a disaster. It was obvious I needed new blinds for all my windows. Blinds that worked well and were easy to open and close. Oh and it would be nice if they were automated. I noticed an ad on TV for a blinds that interfaced with smart phones and a controller. So I thought Amazon, they might have a useful product. I decided I wanted a controller minimum and it would be nice if I could control it as a smart device. In looking through Amazon, I came across Graywind roll shades. Wow, a shade that would roll up and disappear. It wouldn’t just hang there on the side or rotate open closed like my slotted old shades. And it had a remote plus local network interface and Alexa/Google voice control. Plus it was wall powered, no batteries to change.So I ordered two rollup shades for my front windows. To my surprise Graywind responded immediately via email asking for confirmation on my shade size and specifications. After an email reply, they changed the order to my exact requirements and processed my window shades in a day. In two weeks from clicking place my order on Amazon, the order arrived via Fedex from China. The window shades were packed well with everything I needed inside. It took two bracket clips screwed to the opening to hold the shades. Honestly, it took me longer to remove the old shades than to install the new Graywind shades. I carefully measured and predrilled screw holes in my window sills. The new Graywind shades fit perfectly in the clips. The only minor thing was routing the power and antennas though the gap on the top side so the roll shades didn’t interfere. There are two antennae, one for the remote (433MHz) and second for WiFi (2.4GHz only). After this was done I plugged in the shades to 115V power and loaded two AAA batteries into the remote. The shades responded to the remote and I was able to open and close them perfectly. I measured the shade width and shade height and they matched my specification exactly. The shade when lowered definitely blocked all light, 100% as advertised.Ok. Next step was to download the phone app. I have an iPhone so I went to the apple app store and found Smart Life and easily loaded it into my iPhone. It was simple and it worked for me immediately after it found my home network and prompted me for my password. Next step was Alexa on Amazon. I had a bit more difficulty just finding the Skill. Amazon skill searching is cluttered and awkward. I found it, installed it, and enabled it. The first thing, I needed to rename the Graywind shade names. They came as default Chinese names. No problem, just went to my iPhone and clicked the pencil on top right, inserted my first shade as ‘front shade’ and my second shade as ‘side shade’. Then the fun began. Alexa open front shade. Nothing. Alexa front shade up and the shade went up. Alexa front shade down and the shade went down. Ok, up and down are keywords. Then I discovered Alexa front shade 50 and the shade went half way open. I finally figured out (Graywind need to update this in your manual) I could position the shades in increments of 10 from 0 closed to 100 wide open. This was absolutely fantastic. My wife loves these shades. We have ordered more for the rest of the windows in need.Finally I created an Alexa group. I called it ‘window shades’. I put my two shade names into the group. Now when I say 'Alexa window shades 50' both shades half open. I also tried leaving the shades open and while I was on the road I commanded the shades closed with my iPhone. When I came home the shades were closed. Yep, it works remotely via internet anywhere in the world. This is a fantastic product and it works well. I cannot attest to how long the shades will last, but the product I received was well engineered and its case appearance is very nice.

The 21 black shades I ordered are excellent at blocking light and the integration with HomeKit works flawlessly. The measurements I provided for my windows all fit perfectly, so make sure to follow their directions. If you are unsure of a measurement, go a little short on the width so it won't be too snug when installing. Installation of the hardware was dead simple and setup with the iOS Home app took no time at all. I am able to control them with a Homepod and the optional remote controls I purchased reliably, and they are a fun conversation piece for guests on top of the convenience they provide.A few caveats if you are looking to order them to be aware of:20 out of the 21 shades I ordered work perfectly, but one was not reporting its status in HomeKit correctly and would not accept commands. After emailing the service team, they sent a replacement HomeKit adapter to see if that would correct the issue, but it did not. Following that, they sent a replacement motor with instructions on how to replace it, and it finally worked. The service was very helpful and patient in troubleshooting and fixing the issue. Just keep in mind that any replacement parts you receive will be shipped direct from the manufacturer, so it may take several days at least to receive it.When installing the shades, they will likely be set to the measurements to provided when you order. This means the upper and lower limit of the shades will be set and the remote control may already be paired. Test each shade individually to make sure this is the case! If a lower or upper limit is not set it may result in the shade motor continuously running and grind the supports holding them in place. I made this mistake but I was able to solve it by sanding the plastic side and gluing the gear back in place. The kit will include instructions on setting the upper and lower limits and I highly suggest going through it for each unit. Once it is set, no further maintenance is required.These are very affordable and functional shades and I am very pleased with the product and the service that came with it.

Very high-quality shades. Received a sample of fabrics and chose one. Received shades within a few weeks with easy-to-install instructions and stylish remotes. They were true to listed measurements, do block all light, and the texture feels very high-end.