The best smart shades: These luxurious window treatments blend high tech with high fashion

Motorized window treatments that can open and close on command, on a schedule, or even based on room occupancy are the ultimate finishing touch for any smart home. Like smart lighting, smart window treatments offer a host of benefits in terms of convenience, security, and energy conservation. There's a safety angle, too: There are no pull cords that pose a strangulation risk to children and pets. But the wow factor they deliver also renders them a luxury item--even deploying them one room at a time can cost thousands of dollars if each room has a lot of windows. Shades are a soft window covering, typically made of fabric.