Window Treatments for Tall Windows, Skylights, and Transoms

Two-story great rooms, stairwell windows, skylights, and transoms share one problem: you cannot reach them. I meet a lot of Des Moines area homeowners who have left those windows bare for years, or left one shade stuck halfway because moving it meant hauling out a ladder. On these windows motorization is the main solution I recommend. Here is how I set it up, which shades work best, and what to plan for if you are building.

Why motorization works better than a pole or a cordless lift

Some homeowners have already tried extension poles. Twisting a wand at the top of a ten-foot pole is clumsy, lifting a heavy shade with a hook takes real shoulder strength, and fabric shades get tugged unevenly and stretch over time. Cordless lifts are wonderful at normal heights, but they need you to touch the bottom rail, which is not happening on a window nine feet up.

A motor removes all of that. The shade travels smoothly at the same speed every time and stops exactly at its programmed limits. You run it from a remote, a wall switch, your phone, or Alexa, Google, or Siri while your feet stay on the floor. The motorization page covers the motors and controls I use, including Somfy, Dooya, and Norman smart motors.

Two-story great rooms: grouping and schedules

Great rooms usually have a bank of windows at eye level and a second row above. The lower shades get used constantly while the upper ones often have never moved once. With motorization the whole wall works as one system: one button can lower the upper row while the lower row stays put, or drop everything together when the afternoon sun gets serious.

Schedules take it further. Shades can close during the hottest hours, open again for the evening, and follow sunrise and sunset through the year. My full guide to motorized shades for tall and hard-to-reach windows walks through real great room setups.

Shade styles that motorize well on tall glass

• Roller shades: one of the easiest treatments to motorize, and a motorized roller on a tall or hard-to-reach window is one of the most common upgrades I install.
• Honeycomb shades: motorize beautifully and insulate at the glass, so a whole wall can drop at sunset from one remote. Cordless and motorized lifts make them practical on tall stairwell windows too.
• Banded shades: a motor keeps the bands stopping at exactly the same height on every window across tall two-story glass.

Skylights and transoms

A skylight aims straight up at the summer sun and collects heat all day, so bedrooms and bonus rooms under one can run noticeably warmer than the rest of the house. A motorized honeycomb shade made for skylights rides in side tracks, seals against the opening, and moves with a remote like any other shade.

Transoms above doors and larger windows let in nice light but also leak privacy and glare at odd angles. Most were never meant to be covered, and there is no practical way to operate anything on them by hand. Motorization makes both window types usable. I measure them in person, because skylight openings are rarely as square as they look from below.

Battery, hardwired, or solar power

Battery powered shades are the workhorse of my installs. The rechargeable battery wand hides inside or behind the headrail, runs months between charges on a typical shade, and charges like a phone. On tall windows I can often position the charging port so you reach it without a ladder.

Hardwired shades draw power from low-voltage wiring or a nearby outlet, and they never need charging. For windows with strong direct sun, a small solar panel can trickle-charge a battery shade. Existing homes usually call for battery power, and new builds should consider wiring.

If you are building, plan for this while the walls are open. Running low-voltage wire to the window headers during framing costs very little. You do not need to pick fabrics yet; I can review your window schedule, flag the openings that will be hard to reach, and tell your electrician exactly what to rough in. More in my new construction guide.

Measuring, installing, and programming high windows

Tall and hard-to-reach windows are routine installs for me. I measure every window myself, size the motor for the shade and the way you want it to run, and come back to install it myself. Motorized shades are fully set up before I leave: limits programmed, remotes paired, and app or voice control connected and tested with you watching.

I often mix the two approaches in one house: cordless shades wherever hands can reach and motorized shades on the tall glass, all matched in color and style. For larger shades on tall windows you can reach from the floor, a continuous-loop clutch holds the shade exactly where you set it. You can see every control option on our brands and options page.

Start with a free in-home estimate. I bring samples and a working motorized demo, measure every window myself, and tell you plainly which of your windows justify a motor. Call (515) 850-9700 or request your free in-home estimate.

Frequently asked questions

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Ready to see samples on your own windows? Call (515) 850-9700 or request your free in-home estimate.