Motorized Roman and Honeycomb Shades in Austin
Lutron motorizes two soft shade styles: Roman shades, built by your designer's workroom in any fabric around a Lutron fabrication kit, and honeycomb (cellular) shades, whose air-trapping cells insulate the window. Both run on Lutron drives, so they move with your lighting scenes and schedules in homes across Westlake, West Lake Hills, Tarrytown, and Bee Cave.
How does Lutron motorize a Roman shade in my own fabric?
Lutron sells Roman fabrication kits with "everything but the fabric." Each kit holds the shade tube, brackets, and a Lutron drive; the workroom adds fabric, lift cords, and clips. Lutron offers a wired Sivoia kit and a battery Triathlon kit.
Kits are sized by lift capacity, not just width. The Sivoia kit comes with a Roller 64 drive for fabric panels up to 11.7 lb, a Roller 100 drive for 17.9 lb, or a Roller 150 drive for 23.5 lb. The Triathlon wire-free kit lifts up to 11.7 lb.
The Sivoia Roller 64 kit fits shades 21.5 to 109.5 inches wide, bracket to bracket, and runs below 35 dBA at 3 feet. The Triathlon kit covers 20 to 109.5 inches wide and 12 to 120 inches high.
Who builds the Roman shade, and who installs it?
Your interior designer's workroom sews the shade around the Lutron kit. We specify the kit and drive for the finished fabric weight, coordinate measurements with the workroom, then install, wire, and program the finished shade into your home's Lutron system.
Weight is where Roman shades go wrong. A lined linen or a heavy embroidered fabric can push past a drive's lift rating, so we ask the workroom for the finished panel weight before the kit is ordered.
This is concierge work from start to finish. We do not sell kits for self-install, and we stay on the project until the shade is programmed and the client has signed off.
What are honeycomb shades, and when do they make sense?
Honeycomb, or cellular, shades fold fabric into cells that trap air at the window. Lutron's white backing reflects light to help keep rooms comfortable. Triathlon honeycomb shades come in Standard (9/16 in single or 7/16 in double cell) and Architectural (3/4 in single cell).
They suit bedrooms, studies, and rooms where a flat roller shade feels too modern. Lutron offers honeycomb fabrics from sheer to room darkening and blackout.
The Architectural style adds a light-blocking top back cover and side gaps as small as 1/8 inch, painted to match the fabric. A cable-guided option stops the shade swaying on doors or near strong airflow.
Roman, honeycomb, or roller: which fits a west-facing Austin room?
For heat, choose fabric first: 1% openness or blackout stops far more afternoon sun than a sheer. Honeycomb adds insulating cells, Roman adds a soft decorative fold, and a roller shade suits the widest glass. Many homes mix all three by room.
In our field experience, the room's main window sets the choice. A wall of west glass in a living room usually gets Sivoia QS roller shades or Palladiom shades. A bedroom that faces the afternoon sun often gets honeycomb.
A dining room or primary suite where the designer has chosen the fabric often gets a Roman shade. All three can share keypads, so one button closes the whole floor.
Which Lutron soft shade fits the window
Values are Lutron's published figures; sizes vary with fabric and configuration.
| Sivoia Roman kit | Triathlon Roman kit | Triathlon Standard honeycomb | Triathlon Architectural honeycomb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric | Your fabric, sewn by your workroom | Your fabric, sewn by your workroom | Lutron cellular fabrics | Lutron cellular fabrics, 40 options |
| Cell | n/a | n/a | 9/16 in single or 7/16 in double | 3/4 in single |
| Size | 21.5 to 109.5 in wide (Roller 64 kit) | 20 to 109.5 in wide x 12 to 120 in high | 14.5 to 96 in wide x 12 to 96 in high (motorized) | 21 to 96 in wide x 12 to 104 in high (wire-free) |
| Lift capacity | 11.7 lb (Roller 64), 17.9 lb (Roller 100), 23.5 lb (Roller 150) | 11.7 lb | n/a | n/a |
| Power | 35V low-voltage wire | Battery | Battery or 12V low-voltage wire | Battery or low-voltage wire |
| Communication | QS wired or QS Wireless | Clear Connect RF | Clear Connect RF | Clear Connect RF |
| Lutron systems | RadioRA 3, HomeWorks, Caséta PRO, Athena, myRoom XC | Caséta, RadioRA 3, HomeWorks | Caséta PRO, RadioRA 3, HomeWorks | Caséta PRO, RA2 Select, RadioRA 3, HomeWorks |
| Sound level | Below 35 dBA at 3 ft | As low as 35 dBA (Lutron Roman range) | Under 44 dBA at 3 ft | Under 44 dBA at 3 ft |
| Light control extras | Depends on workroom lining | Depends on workroom lining | White backing | Top back cover; side gaps as small as 1/8 in; cable-guided option |
| Warranty | 8-year limited, with registration | 8-year limited, with registration | 8-year limited | 8-year limited |
Lift capacity is the line that catches people out. Ask your workroom for the finished panel weight, lining included, before a kit is chosen.
Roman and honeycomb shade FAQ
Can my designer use any fabric for a motorized Roman shade?
Most fabrics work, within the drive's lift rating. Lutron describes its kits as working with most Roman shade constructions and materials, and sizes them by finished panel weight: 11.7 lb for the Roller 64 and Triathlon kits, up to 23.5 lb with a Roller 150 drive. Heavy lined fabrics need the larger drive.
How long do batteries last in Triathlon honeycomb shades?
Lutron rates Triathlon honeycomb shades at 3 to 5 years on D-cell or AA batteries, with a headrail designed for easy battery access. Daily sun-tracking schedules use batteries faster than occasional use. Where a wall is open, the 12V wired Triathlon honeycomb shade removes batteries entirely.
Will a honeycomb shade sway on a French door?
It can, which is why Lutron offers a cable-guided option on Triathlon honeycomb shades. The cables keep the shade in place on doors and in areas with heavy airflow, such as near a ceiling fan or an air return. We decide on cable guides during measuring, before the order is placed.
Do honeycomb shades come in blackout?
Yes. Lutron offers cellular fabrics from sheer to room darkening and blackout. The Architectural style also reduces light at the edges with a top back cover and side gaps as small as 1/8 inch. For a media room that must go fully dark, see our media room and blackout shades page.
Which Lutron systems control Roman and honeycomb shades?
Lutron lists the Sivoia Roman kit with RadioRA 3, HomeWorks, Caséta PRO, Athena, and myRoom XC, and the Triathlon Roman kit with Caséta, RadioRA 3, and HomeWorks. Triathlon honeycomb shades work with Caséta PRO, RadioRA 3, and HomeWorks. All can run standalone from a Pico remote.
How much do motorized Roman and honeycomb shades cost?
Price depends on size, drive, power source, and for Roman shades, the workroom's fabrication. We quote both from measurements. Start in our Motorized Shade Designer with the roller shades for the same project, send your Roman and honeycomb window sizes, and we will add them to your price.
More Lutron shades
- Back to the full guide: Lutron shades in Austin.
- Triathlon shades also power honeycomb shades and the battery Roman kit.
- For soft fabric across a wide wall, see Lutron drapery.
Send plans for review
Upload your window schedule and fabric selections (PDF) and we will match each Roman shade to a Lutron kit by lift capacity, and mark where low-voltage cable needs to run.
Visit the showroom
Book a private 30-minute session at our showroom in West Lake Hills to see cellular fabrics, Roman shade movement, and keypads in person.
See Roman and cellular fabrics in our showroom
Smarter Homes Lutron Showroom5524 Bee Caves Rd, Unit J8
West Lake Hills, TX 78746
512-775-6101
Showroom visits are by appointment. Bring your plans and we will map products, wiring, and scenes to your floor plan.
We measure, order, install, and program every shade ourselves; there are no DIY kits. Complimentary offboarding is always included if you leave a support agreement.
Smarter Homes is a Lutron Dealer with a showroom in West Lake Hills, serving Austin, Westlake, West Lake Hills, Barton Creek, Tarrytown, Bee Cave, Spanish Oaks, Lake Austin waterfront homes, and Rollingwood.