Lutron adds smart wood blinds to its Caséta DIY smart lighting line

Lutron has launched a line of smart wood blinds as an addition to its well-regarded Caséta smart lighting system. Designed for do-it-yourself installation, like its Caséta in-wall smart dimmers, switches, ceiling fan controllers, smart plug and plug-in dimmer, the blinds connect to a homeowner’s Wi-Fi network via the Caséta Smart Hub and use Lutron’s Clear Connect wireless communication protocol.

This isn’t a new concept for Lutron. The company introduced smart wood blinds as part of its Serena product offering in 2020, and I reviewed them favorably in the same year. The primary differences between the Serena product and the new Caséta Smart Wood Blinds are related to price, selection, and options.

Where the blinds I reviewed six years ago were priced by size—the 34 × 58-inch (WxH) blinds I evaluated cost $579 each–the Caséta blinds are priced at a flat $429 for windows up to 48 inches wide and 80 inches high (wider sizes are available at additional cost).

And where Serena smart blinds can be ordered in four painted colors or four stained finishes, the Caséta version is only available in either a painted white or stained walnut finish. The Serena brand blinds offer more options—such as hardwired power, valance accessories, and a choice of two remote controls—but for a price.

The slats in both the Caséta and Serena products are fabricated from North American basswood, with their electronic smarts integrated into the headrail. The blinds’ tilt can be adjusted with Lutron’s optional Pico remote ($32.40), or you can take advantage of Lutron’s Natural Light Optimization (NLO) technology. NLO automatically adjust the tilt of the blinds relative to your home’s geographic location and cardinal orientation.

For example, the blinds in a west-facing window will tilt open in the morning to start the day, and then close in the late afternoon to reduce direct light and minimize glare and heat gain. As night approaches, the blinds in any window will tilt closed for privacy, allowing some filtered natural light into the room. You can also lift the bottom rail to expose as much of the window as you’d like (there is no motorized lift).

In addition to NLO and any other schedules you might want to create in the Caséta app, the blinds can be integrated into smart home ecosystems including Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings and others for tilt control via voice commands.

Lutron says its smart blinds are easy to install, and I found that to be the case in my Serena review. The most nerve-wracking aspect of the process is taking the measurements—especially if you’re installing the blinds inside the window frame. I found that using a laser measurer alleviated that stress.

DIY-installed Caséta blinds and smart shades are available for order now on Lutron’s website.

This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart lighting and best smart lighting controls.