Aura® Illuminated Shades: LED-Lit Window Treatments for Sonoma County
Aura Illuminated Shades by Hunter Douglas feature integrated LED accent backlighting that creates the effect of natural daylight even with shades fully lowered. Available in roller and roman configurations with an architectural headrail design. Discount Best Blinds and Shutters is an authorized dealer serving Sonoma County with free in-home consultations and professional installation.
Aura is the first window treatment that functions as both a shade and an ambient light source. When the LEDs are activated, a warm, diffused glow radiates through the shade fabric, transforming the window into a luminous panel that mimics the quality of filtered daylight. This is especially valuable in Sonoma County wine country, where evenings in Dry Creek Valley tasting rooms and Healdsburg dining rooms benefit from atmospheric lighting that does not rely on overhead fixtures or table lamps. Discount Best Blinds and Shutters brings Aura samples to your home so you can see the LED effect in your own space before committing.
How Do Aura Illuminated Shades Create Daylight on Demand?
How do Aura shades produce light? Aura Illuminated Shades use integrated LED accent backlighting built directly into the shade's architectural headrail. When activated, the LEDs project a warm, diffused glow through the shade fabric, creating the visual effect of natural daylight - even when the shades are fully lowered and the room is otherwise dark.
Unlike aftermarket LED strips or external light bars, Aura's backlighting is engineered as part of the shade itself. The LEDs are concealed within the architectural headrail and distribute light evenly across the full width of the fabric panel. The result is a uniform glow without hot spots, visible hardware, or light bleed at the edges. Aura is available in both roller and roman configurations, so you can choose between a clean minimal profile and a softer, folded textile appearance depending on your room's architecture. The LED system is energy-efficient, produces no heat against the fabric, and is rated for tens of thousands of hours of continuous use. For homeowners who want ambient lighting that integrates with their window architecture rather than competing with it, Aura is a fundamentally different approach to interior illumination.
Aura for Sonoma County Wine Country: Architectural Ambiance After Dark
Sonoma County's wine country architecture increasingly features large-format windows designed to frame vineyard views during the day. But after sunset, those same expansive windows become dark voids that flatten a room's depth and require compensating light sources. Aura Illuminated Shades solve this by turning the window itself into a light source. When activated, the LED-backlit shade creates a warm, luminous panel that restores the sense of depth and natural light the room had during the day. This makes Aura particularly effective for bay windows, bow windows, corner windows, and large picture windows where traditional light fixtures cannot reach the glass plane. In Sonoma County, we install Aura most frequently in Dry Creek Valley tasting rooms where the illuminated shades create atmosphere for evening events, in dining rooms where the warm glow replaces the need for overhead dimmer circuits, and in master suites where the soft LED light functions as a nightlight without the glare of a bedside lamp. Discount Best Blinds and Shutters has installed Aura in both residential estates and commercial tasting room environments across Sonoma County, and Phil can help you evaluate whether Aura is the right fit for your specific window layout and lighting goals.
PowerView Integration: Scheduling Light and Shade Together
Aura Illuminated Shades operate exclusively through Hunter Douglas PowerView Gen 3, which means the LED backlighting and shade position are controlled through a single app. You can adjust brightness, set automated schedules, and create scenes that coordinate the LED lighting with the shade's raise and lower position. For example, you can program a sunset scene that lowers the shades to 50% and activates the LED backlighting at medium brightness, then schedule a bedtime scene that lowers the shades fully and dims the LEDs to a faint glow. PowerView integrates with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, so you can also trigger Aura scenes with voice commands. For Sonoma County homeowners with whole-home smart home automation systems, Aura's PowerView integration means the window treatments participate in the same automated routines as your lighting, HVAC, and security systems. Best Discount Blinds programs all PowerView scenes and schedules as part of our installation service, and we provide hands-on training so you are comfortable controlling Aura from day one. The coordination of LED backlighting with shade position is what makes Aura fundamentally different from simply adding a light strip to a conventional shade - the two systems are engineered to work together from the factory, with no third-party wiring or integration required.
For homeowners pursuing a complete circadian wellness strategy, Aura Illuminated Shades can be synchronized with Ketra tunable white lighting to create a seamless circadian lighting environment throughout the home. Ketra fixtures provide full-spectrum tunable white light ranging from 1400K ultra-warm candlelight to 10000K crisp daylight, delivering the most accurate reproduction of natural light available in any residential lighting system. When Aura's integrated LED backlighting is paired with Ketra ceiling fixtures, the combination produces a unified dawn-to-dusk lighting experience - the window plane and the ceiling plane work in concert, shifting color temperature and intensity together to support your body's natural sleep-wake cycles. This is especially impactful in Sonoma County homes with open floor plans and large window walls, where the interplay between window-level and overhead light defines the character of the space from morning through evening.
Aura Illuminated Shade Specifications
| Feature | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Configurations | Roller, Roman | 2 shade styles available |
| LED System | Integrated Backlighting | Built into headrail structure |
| Window Types | Bay/Bow/Corner, Large, Picture | Standard and specialty windows |
| Operating System | PowerView Gen 3 (Required) | App, voice, and remote control |
| Energy | LED (Low Power) | Long-life, no heat output |
| Design | Architectural Headrail | Conceals LED and mounting hardware |
| Child Safety | ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022 | Motorized cordless operation |
Specifications and Standards
Independent references for the performance and safety claims on this page.
- Hunter Douglas official Cellular Shades catalog, manufacturer specifications and warranty
- NFRC.org, National Fenestration Rating Council, U-Factor and SHGC certification body
- U.S. Department of Energy, energy-efficient window treatment guidance
- WCMA, ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022 child safety standard
Dry Creek Valley Vineyard Tasting Room
We installed Aura Illuminated Shades in the roman configuration across twelve windows in a Dry Creek Valley vineyard tasting room (ZIP 95448). The winemaker wanted a lighting solution that would transform the space from a daylight-driven tasting environment into an intimate evening event venue without adding track lighting or wall sconces to the timber-framed interior. We specified Aura roman shades in a warm linen fabric with PowerView Gen 3 motorization and programmed three scenes: a daytime mode with shades raised and LEDs off, a golden-hour mode with shades at half-mast and LEDs at 40% brightness, and an evening event mode with shades fully lowered and LEDs at full output. The staff controls the scenes through a single Pico remote mounted at the tasting bar. The result is a tasting room that transitions seamlessly from afternoon vineyard tours to candlelit wine dinners without a single additional light fixture.
Aura Illuminated Shade Questions Answered
How do Aura Illuminated Shades create light?
Aura Illuminated Shades use integrated LED accent backlighting built into the headrail and shade structure. When activated, the LEDs project a warm, diffused glow through the shade fabric, creating the visual effect of natural daylight even when the shades are fully lowered. The LED system is controlled through Hunter Douglas PowerView, allowing you to adjust brightness, set schedules, and coordinate the backlighting with shade position. The LEDs are energy-efficient, long-lasting, and produce no heat against the fabric. This makes Aura ideal for rooms where you want ambient light without exposing the interior to exterior views at night.
Are Aura shades available in roller and roman styles?
Yes. Aura Illuminated Shades are available in both roller and roman configurations. The roller version provides a clean, minimal profile with the LED backlighting integrated into the cassette headrail. The roman version offers soft fabric folds with the same LED system, creating a warmer, more textured glow when illuminated. Both configurations use an architectural headrail design that conceals the LED hardware and mounting components. Discount Best Blinds and Shutters can help you choose the right configuration based on your room architecture, fabric preferences, and the type of ambient lighting effect you want to achieve.
Can I control Aura LED lighting with my smart home system?
Yes. Aura Illuminated Shades operate exclusively through Hunter Douglas PowerView Gen 3, which integrates with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. You can control the LED backlighting and shade position independently or together using the PowerView app, voice commands, or programmed scenes. For example, you can create an evening scene that lowers the shades and activates the LED backlighting at sunset, then turns off the LEDs and raises the shades at sunrise. PowerView also supports scheduling, so the lighting can operate automatically without daily input.
What rooms are best suited for Aura Illuminated Shades?
Aura Illuminated Shades are most effective in rooms where you want ambient light without overhead fixtures or table lamps. Wine country tasting rooms, dining rooms, master suites, and media rooms are popular applications in Sonoma County. The LED backlighting is also practical for bay windows, bow windows, corner windows, and large picture windows where traditional light sources cannot reach. Architects use Aura to create architectural ambiance in hallways, stairwells, and alcoves where the illuminated shade functions as both a window covering and an integrated light source.
Related Products and Solutions
Installed in Sonoma County Homes
See Aura® Illuminated Shades in Action
Book a free consultation and Phil will demonstrate the Aura LED backlighting effect in your home. We serve Healdsburg, Windsor, Dry Creek Valley, and all of Sonoma County.