Shaped Motorised Duette 240v RTS, Blindspace Concealment & Lutron Integration via RF Bond – Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset
Project: Hamworthy Poole Dorset
Sector: Luxury Harbour development
Date of install: 04/2025
Products: Duette 240v RTS Shaped, Blindspace concealment. Lutron via RF Bond
The Brief
The development and the challenge
Hamworthy sits on a peninsula jutting into Poole Harbour, directly across the water from Sandbanks. Its newer residential developments draw buyers who value harbour views and architectural ambition in equal measure. This particular scheme was no exception — but it presented a specification challenge that most window treatment suppliers decline to take on.
The development featured a significant number of non-rectangular window openings. Arch-head windows, angled sills, triangular and trapezoidal glazing panels — each required a blind made to the exact geometry of its opening. Standard rectangular blinds, regardless of system, simply do not work on shaped windows. The blind either fails to fill the opening or cannot operate reliably within it. A different approach was needed entirely.
Why shaped Duette was specified
After reviewing the options with the interior design team, we specified the Duette 240V RTS honeycomb blind system throughout. Duette is uniquely suited to shaped applications because its honeycomb cell structure holds its geometry under operation. Unlike a roller blind fabric, which relies on a straight bottom bar and consistent width, a shaped Duette can be manufactured to follow an arch, a rake, a diagonal or a point — and still raise and lower cleanly without distorting.
Alongside the shaped Duette blinds, we specified three complementary elements. First, Blindspace bespoke concealment cassettes housed every blind headrail and motor within the ceiling void. Second, Lutron home automation integration via RF Bond equipment provided unified smart home control of every blind.
Shaped motorised Duette 240V RTS — the system
What makes Duette suitable for shaped windows
A Duette honeycomb blind differs fundamentally from a roller blind or a roman blind in one critical way. Its cell structure gives it a three-dimensional geometry that maintains its shape during operation. When a shaped Duette raises or lowers, the honeycomb cells compress and expand uniformly — the fabric never tries to straighten itself, as a roller fabric would, because the cell geometry holds it in position. This property makes Duette the only mainstream blind system that can be reliably shaped to a non-rectangular opening and still operate cleanly. On this Hamworthy project, we specified shaped Duettes for arch-head windows, raked-sill windows and angled glazing panels. Each blind was made to the exact template of its opening. Furthermore, the 240V RTS motor — a mains-powered Somfy radio motor — gave each blind quiet, reliable motorised operation without the limitations of a battery-powered alternative
The 240V RTS motor
We chose the 240V RTS motor variant for this development for three reasons. Mains power eliminates the battery replacement problem that affects battery-powered Duette motors in hard-to-reach locations. The RTS (Radio Technology Somfy) protocol is the standard Somfy radio protocol, making it directly compatible with the RF Bond equipment used to bridge to the Lutron system. In addition, mains-powered motors offer consistent torque across the full range of fabric weights and blind sizes on this project — important given the variety of shaped openings and fabric types specified.
We chose the 240V RTS motor variant for this development for three reasons. First, mains power eliminates the battery replacement problem that affects battery-powered Duette motors in hard-to-reach locations. Second, the RTS protocol — Radio Technology Somfy — is the standard Somfy radio frequency, making it directly compatible with the RF Bond equipment we used to bridge to the Lutron system. Third, mains-powered motors deliver consistent torque across all fabric weights and blind sizes on this project, which matters given the variety of shaped openings.
Fabric selection
On shaped and non-rectangular windows, the fabric choice affects both the performance and the visual result. We specified two fabric types across the development. Blackout Duette fabric covered the bedrooms, blocking light entirely including the light that would otherwise enter at the sides and top of an arch. Semi-sheer Duette fabric went into the living areas and studies, providing privacy and solar protection whilst retaining the harbour view. Both fabrics are available in the Duette 25mm and 64mm cell sizes — we used 25mm cells throughout, as this scale suited the window proportions and gave a refined, residential appearance.
Blindspace concealment cassettes
Concealing the Duette headrail
A Duette blind’s headrail is more substantial than a roller blind barrel. It houses the motor, the drive mechanism and the honeycomb fabric stack — all of which need to sit within a Blindspace cassette that is deep enough to accommodate the blind at maximum fabric compression. Getting this cassette depth right is the first critical co-ordination task on any concealed Duette installation.
On this Hamworthy project, our team attended site during the design phase to confirm the headrail dimensions for every window position. Shaped Duette headrails vary in profile depending on the geometry of the opening — an arch-head blind has a curved or faceted headrail, which requires a cassette designed specifically for that profile. We confirmed the cassette dimensions for every blind position and communicated them to the main contractor before ceiling boarding began. As a result, every cassette was built correctly into the ceiling structure without any retrofitting.
Co-ordination and first fix
Blindspace installation requires early appointment. On a shaped Duette project, this matters even more than on a standard rectangular blind scheme — because shaped headrails are non-standard components, their dimensions are not predictable from drawings alone. Physical confirmation during the design phase is the only reliable method.
The main contractor’s M&E sub-contractor chased all mains wiring for the 240V RTS motors to the cassette positions our team had confirmed. The joiner then built each cassette into the ceiling structure to our specification. Consequently, when we arrived to install the Duette blinds, every cassette was correctly formed, wired and ready. The installation proceeded without a single unplanned modification to the finished structure.
The finished result
When every Duette blind is raised to its fully open position at this development, the ceiling reads as completely flat. No headrail, no motor and no mechanism is visible. The shaped window openings read as pure architecture — the blind is entirely absent from the room until needed. This level of finish is only achievable when the concealment is integrated into the building structure from the outset, rather than applied as a surface afterthought.
Lutron integration via RF Bond equipment
The integration challenge
Lutron is the preferred lighting and shading control platform for many luxury residential developments. Its RadioRA and Caseta systems are widely specified by architects and AV integrators for their reliability, scene flexibility and integration breadth. However, Lutron does not natively communicate with Somfy’s RTS radio protocol — the protocol used by the Duette 240V RTS motors on this project. Bridging the two systems required a specific piece of equipment: an RF Bond device. The RF Bond acts as a protocol translator between the Somfy RTS radio signal from each Duette motor and the Lutron RadioRA system controlling the rest of the home. With the RF Bond in place, the Lutron processor can send open, close and stop commands to
Specification summary
Full specification of systems, integration and soft furnishings supplied, installed and commissioned at this Hamworthy harbour development, Poole.
| System | Product | Application | Key specification | Control | Notes |
| Shaped motorised Duette | Duette 240V RTS honeycomb blind | Arch-head, angled and non-rectangular windows throughout | Bespoke shaped to opening · 240V RTS motor · blackout and semi-sheer fabrics | Lutron via RF Bond · remote handset · wall switch | Each blind made to the exact geometry of its opening |
| Blindspace concealment | Bespoke ceiling cassette | All motorised Duette positions · motor and headrail concealed | Custom depth · flush finish · co-ordinated M&E first fix | — | Critical: confirmed at design stage before ceiling close |
| Lutron integration | Lutron RadioRA / Caseta via RF Bond | All motorised Duette blinds integrated into Lutron system | RF Bond bridges Somfy RTS protocol to Lutron RadioRA · bidirectional scene control | Lutron app · keypads · voice control · scene programming | AV integrator attended joint commissioning day |
| Bespoke soft furnishings | Made to measure | Principal living areas and bedrooms | Wave curtains · bump interlined · sateen lined · 80mm heading | Manual draw on SG 3900 or motorised option | Hand-finished and pre-pressed for delivery |
| Additional soft furnishings | Made to measure | Throughout all rooms | Scatter cushions · pelmets · window seat covers | — | Co-ordinating fabric palette throughout |
Frequently asked questions
Can Duette honeycomb blinds be made for shaped and non-rectangular windows?
Yes. The Duette honeycomb blind system can be manufactured to follow arch-head, raked, triangular, trapezoidal and other non-rectangular window geometries. The honeycomb cell structure maintains its shape during operation, so a shaped Duette raises and lowers cleanly without distorting or binding against the frame. On this Hamworthy project, we specified shaped Duette 240V RTS motorised blinds for every non-rectangular opening. Each blind was made from a physical template of the exact opening. We supply and install shaped Duette blinds across Poole, Dorset and the South Coast.
Lutron integration and RF Bond
How does the RF Bond device bridge Somfy RTS Duette blinds to a Lutron system?
The RF Bond is a protocol translation device. It learns the RTS radio address of each Somfy-motored blind within range and communicates with the Lutron RadioRA or Caseta processor via the Lutron Clear Connect protocol. When the Lutron system sends a shade command, the RF Bond translates it into the correct RTS radio signal and broadcasts it to the target motor. From the Lutron system’s perspective, the Somfy-motored Duette blinds behave as native Lutron shades — available for scene programming, keypad control and app control. On this Hamworthy project, we placed RF Bond devices to achieve full radio coverage of all Duette motor positions and commissioned the system jointly with the project’s AV integrator.
Do you work with architects, AV integrators and main contractors on specification projects in Dorset?
Yes. We provide full specification support for architects, interior designers, AV integrators and main contractors across Dorset and the South Coast. This includes Duette system data sheets, Blindspace integration details, 240V RTS wiring schedules, RF Bond placement guidance and commissioning co-ordination with the AV integrator. We attend pre-contract meetings, provide co-ordination documents for the main contractor, and offer a named project contact from design stage through to handover. Trade accounts are available for contractors, developers and AV integration companies with regular project requirements.