Frequently Asked Questions

Suburban Blinds offers premium custom-made motorized shades at factory-direct prices. Every shade features a whisper-quiet rechargeable motor, full smart home compatibility (including Matter over Thread), and is made to your exact measurements at no extra charge. We cut out the middleman so you get top-tier quality without the designer markup.

Yes. Every shade is manufactured to your exact width and height specifications, down to 1/8 of an inch. There is no extra charge for custom sizing. We do not sell pre-made standard sizes — every order is built specifically for your windows.

Blackout shades block 100% of incoming light, making them ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, and home theaters. Light filtering shades block 50-75% of light while softly diffusing the remaining daylight, creating a warm ambient glow. They are best for living rooms, kitchens, and offices where you want natural light without harsh glare.

On a full charge, the built-in lithium-ion battery typically lasts 4 to 6 months with average daily use (2-3 open/close cycles per day). Battery life varies by shade size — larger shades use more power per cycle. For worry-free operation, we recommend our solar panel accessory, which keeps the battery topped off indefinitely.

Installation is straightforward and takes about 15-20 minutes per shade. Mount the included brackets to your window frame or wall using the provided screws, snap the shade into the brackets, and plug in the USB-C cable for the initial charge. Detailed step-by-step instructions and video tutorials are available on our How To Install page.

Inside mount fits the shade within the window frame opening for a clean, built-in look. It requires at least 2 inches of depth inside the frame. Outside mount attaches the shade above or around the window frame, covering a larger area. Outside mount is recommended when you want maximum light blockage or when the window frame lacks sufficient depth.

Yes. Our no-drill shades use either a tension-fit bracket that clamps onto the top of the window frame or a high-strength adhesive bracket. Both methods require zero tools and zero holes. The adhesive brackets need 24 hours to cure before hanging the shade. Full instructions are included in the box.

For inside mount, measure the width at the top, middle, and bottom of the window opening and use the narrowest measurement. Measure the height on the left, center, and right and use the longest measurement. For outside mount, add 2-3 inches to the width and 3-4 inches to the height for optimal coverage. Our How To Measure page has illustrated guides for every scenario.

Our motorized shades work with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and the Matter standard over Thread. The Matter Hub accessory enables native Matter support for the most responsive, local-first smart home experience without relying on cloud services.

The Matter Hub is recommended but not strictly required. Without it, you can still control your shades via our mobile app over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The Matter Hub adds native Matter over Thread support, which provides faster response times, local control without internet dependency, and seamless integration with all major smart home ecosystems.

Absolutely. Through our app or any compatible smart home platform, you can schedule your shades to open and close at specific times, tie them to sunrise/sunset, or include them in scenes and routines. For example, you can create a 'Good Morning' scene that opens all bedroom shades at 7 AM and a 'Movie Night' scene that closes the living room shades.

Yes. You can group shades by room or zone in our app or your smart home platform. Grouped shades move in perfect sync. The handheld remote also supports group control for up to 15 channels. The Matter Hub can manage up to 30 shades simultaneously.

Since every shade is custom-made to order, production takes 7-10 business days. After production, shipping to the continental US takes an additional 3-5 business days via FedEx Ground. Accessories like remotes, solar panels, and the Matter Hub ship within 1-2 business days. You will receive tracking information via email as soon as your order ships.

Currently, we ship to all 50 US states and Canada. International shipping to other countries is not available at this time but is something we are actively working on. Canadian orders may be subject to import duties and taxes, which are the responsibility of the customer.

Yes. We offer free standard shipping on all orders within the continental United States. Orders to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada may incur an additional shipping fee, which will be calculated at checkout.

We offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you are not completely happy with your purchase, contact our support team within 30 days of delivery to initiate a return. Custom-made shades must be in unused, original condition for a full refund. Accessories can be returned in their original packaging. Return shipping costs are the customer's responsibility unless the product arrived damaged or defective.

If your shade arrives damaged during shipping, contact us within 48 hours of delivery with photos of the damage. We will send a free replacement as quickly as possible, typically within 7-10 business days. You do not need to return the damaged shade — we will provide instructions for responsible disposal if needed.

Because every shade is custom-made, we cannot offer direct exchanges. However, you can return the original shade within our 30-day window and place a new order for the desired color or size. Contact our support team and we will do our best to expedite the replacement order.

All Suburban Blinds motorized shades come with a 3-year limited warranty covering the motor, battery, and electronic components against manufacturing defects. The fabric is covered for 2 years against defects in material and workmanship under normal use. Accessories carry a 1-year warranty. The warranty does not cover normal wear, misuse, or damage from improper installation.

To initiate a warranty claim, email support@suburbanblinds.com with your order number, a description of the issue, and photos or a video if applicable. Our team will review your claim within 2 business days and arrange a repair or replacement if the issue falls within warranty coverage. We aim to resolve all warranty claims as quickly and painlessly as possible.