Sure thing. A couple of my thoughts based on what I've learned:
1. Motors -- if you want motorized shades most people seem to recommend Somfy or Lutron. Skip this section if you want manual. Lutron makes everything (shades, motors, fabric) and their selection is limited. The Shade Store has recently started offering their products with either Shade Store's own motors (which I'm told are made in China) or a Lutron upgrade. The Lutron shades are very costly and The Shade Store quote I got with the Lutron option was so high as to be nonsensical. I interviewed various vendors on this topic and read up to reach this conclusion. The reason being is that these motors can break. Not now, not next year, but someday. And most vendors make motors today that work with the shades they sold you today. They don't make them with an intent to ever service them--so the motors sold today don't work with the shades they sold 5 years ago. And, in the future, when they change their motor from being power by batteries to being powered by rechargable plug-in or solar or whatever that new style motor won't fit in your shade or work with it--it will only fit the redesigned shades they are selling then. So if your shade breaks after the standard 5 year warranty is over--too bad for you. You've got to buy a new one. They don't repair them and they have no parts around for the old models. Hunter Douglas people dance around this question but the Shade Store woman told me point blank they will never repair or service a dead shade and if its out of warranty you cough up for a new one. They also cannot be operated manually or converted to manual operation.
And if its part of a matching set in a room, you may need to buy ALL new ones. The Somfy motors, made in France, are not designed like this and new models can be retrofitted to old shades.
They also appear to be much more reliable than others per consensus of everyone I interviewed. Somfy motors can work with LOTS of different shade brands, whereas "closed systems" like HD and Shade Store only are available with their own motors.
2. Discount options -- Bali/Levelor products widely available online and at Lowes/Home Depot are very practical and functional and will work for a lot of spaces and cost wayyy less than these options. Less choices, lower quality, however. Maybe use these strategically in some bedrooms or rooms that are set apart from the others to save cash--that's what I did. Splurge for key spaces where the product offering is unique by the luxury brand.
3. Other quality brands -- Graber (graberblinds.com) and Norman (normanusa.com) are two great brands I discovered. There are others too. Norman has an amazing product called "Smart Drape" that works well for sliders/french doors if you like the curtainy look and beats the HD "Luminette" on both price and functionality (half as much as HD). I think both brands have Somfy motor options (I know at least Graber does). Both of these brands are sold by independent dealers like Hunter Douglas is.
I would find a local blind and shade person with top Yelp reviews or by referral that you like that sells ALL sorts of brands and will work through your needs with a focus on functionality, not brand names--you will find better options at a better price point. Don't get someone who pushes one thing over the rest (usually only a problem when Hunter Douglas is in the mix--they must get bigger margins on that stuff).
I tried to do my homework and I learned way more about this topic than I ever intended to (or ever wanted to know), but it helps makes me confident in my choices. It's super expensive to do a whole house so I think it's worth the effort to pound the pavement or take multiple sales meetings/"consultations". Good luck!
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Herringbone with splash of color
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