What’s all the fuss about?
By now, you may or may not have heard the news: Insolroll and Lutron have formed a technical alliance to bring Oasis® Patio Shades to the luxury home market that are capable of integrating with Lutron control systems. Insolroll launched this line of high end patio shades at the CEDIA Expo last month in Dallas, and garnered huge interest. So why is this news? For one thing, when you bring two things together that are both at the top of their game, the end result is that much better. Lutron Electronics is an industry leader in lighting control, with products ranging from individual dimmers to total light management systems that control entire homes. Insolroll is a top shelf manufacturer of solar screen patio shades, with a proven 30 year track record and a history of innovation and quality.
The demand for patio shading has been growing steadily- yes, outdoor living is trending, but that doesn’t mean it’s going away anytime soon. The way we look at our homes today has fundamentally changed, and we expect our outdoor spaces to work harder. Beyond the simple patio, luxury homes now feature lavish outdoor kitchens and dining areas, gathering spaces with outdoor fireplaces and media viewing or “screening” rooms. Life al fresco is a beautiful thing, but hot sun, UV rays, glare, golf balls and insects can really cut it short… Oasis Patio Shades provide solutions in all kinds of spaces, and Insolroll’s technical alliance with Lutron elevates them to a level that luxury homeowners demand.
Driven by Lutron
So what is the technical alliance about? Inside the roller tube of an Oasis Patio Shade Driven by Lutron is a Lutron motor, or “drive”. That Lutron drive allows this line of Oasis Patio Shades to operate seamlessly as part of the Lutron Control system. Birds of a feather.
Lutron’s systems integrate control of natural and artificial lighting in both the interior and patio applications. The Homeworks® QS system also integrates with audio-visual, HVAC and security controls by other manufacturers to offer users broader control of their home environments as well as energy savings.
Another piece of the lifestyle puzzle…
Users can control lighting, window treatments, audio-visual and temperature with a variety of simple, elegant controls. Automate everyday patio shade functions or set “scenes”- customized settings available at the touch of a button for certain activities or times of day. Simply raise patio shades at the end of every summer day, or deploy zipper track retractable insect screens to keep the patio furniture dry when a rainstorm threatens. Button up an outdoor bar area when you are away on a trip.
Maybe you have a Relax scene set… you know, you come home after a day at the office, and you just want to relax in exactly the way that feels best… grab a beer and press the Relax button. House lights at 50%, bar lighting at 100%, smooth jazz over the sound system, dining room window open for a nice breeze, temperature a perfect 72 degrees, outdoor fireplace on, patio shades down, because that summertime late sun is intense on your west-facing patio…
Until now, there has been no patio shade with a Lutron drive that by nature fully integrates with Lutron’s advanced control systems. The Lutron drive has the same portals as other Lutron products in the home, streamlining the setup for integrators with no need for 3rd party controls. It also allows integrators to pre-wire for low voltage, thus keeping an electrician out of the mix. No workarounds or cumbersome integration process. No settling for a separate control system for the patio. Easy, elegant high end control. Everything just… flows.
Oasis® 2800 Patio Sun Shades Driven by Lutron
Insolroll’s Oasis 2800 Patio Sun Shades will be the first to go live on October 1st. Our top selling patio system, the 2800 has a list of features that just plain make it better than patio shades by other makers. To start, they feature an extruded aluminum head box to store and protect your fabric when the shade is rolled up. Make your choice of either cable guide or track system to provide sway control in breezy conditions. This choice is not only about personal preference, but also provides versatility for the many different kinds of patio designs there are. Got masonry? We can do that. Got stucco? That too. Roman columns? Yep. Brick? Wood? Metal? Yes, yes and yes.
Welded (heat sealed) fabric edges prevent fraying, even when exposed to the elements. A heavy, teardrop shaped hembar keeps shades taught and looking great. Insolroll has even designed hardware to make built-in shades easy for new construction applications. If you don’t have new construction, retrofitting is easy.
Fabric choices include solar screen from 1% to 10% open, and translucent and waterproof choices. Solar fabric controls the glare, heat and UV rays of the sun but still allows view-through. Translucent fabrics allow light to shine through with no view-through, enhancing privacy and offering more protection from the elements.
Oasis® 2900 Retractable Insect Screens Driven by Lutron
Insolroll’s zipper track insect protection shades will be available in early 2017. These screen shades provide all of the benefits of the 2800 system, with the additional feature of a 4-sided seal to keep insects out. The sides of the shade are zip captured, feeding into specialized tracks that keep the shade taut. The top seals with a brush closure, and the bottom rail features a flexible gasket strip that will create a seal even on uneven surfaces. So bugs stay where they belong- OUT. And the insect borne illnesses mosquitoes carry stay OUT too.
Fabric choices included insect screen, solar screen and translucent and waterproof. Insect screens protect from mosquitoes and even Florida No-see-ums in the case of the screen fabric bearing the little pests’ name. Solar Screen fabrics afford not only insect protection but sun protection. Translucent and waterproof fabrics allow light to flow through without view-through, and provide protection for furnishings while extending the patio season.
The Oasis Bottom Line
Quite simply, Oasis Patio Shades make a patio more livable. They allow you to use your patio more when you want to, instead of waiting for the fierce western exposure sun to sink lower or for a day when the bugs are not so bothersome. Or even until the golf course quiets down. The advent of Lutron compatibility gives Oasis the ultimate in convenience and personalized control. If your application does not have Lutron control, we continue to offer the same, highest quality motors we have for years. Choice is a beautiful thing.