Why Skylights Need the Right Blind
A skylight lets in roughly three times as much light as a wall window of the same size. That is great at 2 pm in the kitchen and less great at 5:30 am in a bedroom in June. The right blind gives you control without giving up the skylight.
Velux blinds are made to the exact size code of each skylight and clip into the frame, so they fit cleanly and work at any angle. We supply and install them on new and existing Velux units.
The 5 Velux Blind and Accessory Types
- Blackout blinds for bedrooms and nurseries.
- Light-filtering blinds for kitchens and living rooms.
- Heat-reducing awnings for south-facing roofs.
- Motorized and solar blinds for high ceilings.
- Rain sensors, remotes and keypads for automatic control.
Residential Blinds by Room
Bedrooms
Blackout, ideally solar-powered for remote control. A Velux blackout blind clips into the skylight frame and blocks roughly 99 per cent of daylight so the room stays dark past sunrise. We usually pair the blind with a solar VSS skylight and a single Velux Active remote that closes the glass and drops the blind with one button.
Nurseries
Blackout with a timer schedule. Blackout blinds in a nursery keep afternoon sun from cooking the room and give babies a dark sleep cue at nap time. Pair the blind with a Velux Active schedule and the room darkens itself at 7 pm and brightens at 7 am, which is one less thing to remember at night.
Kitchens
Light-filtering to cut glare on counters. Kitchens with Velux skylights over an island or sink get direct afternoon sun, which washes out quartz counters and bounces off stainless. A Velux light-filtering blind softens that glare without turning the room dark, so the kitchen still reads bright at 4 pm.
Home Offices
Light-filtering to stop screen glare. A skylight directly above a monitor throws glare on the screen for half the workday, especially on south and west roofs. A Velux light-filtering blind softens the beam so the screen is readable without the room feeling closed in.
Lofts and Attics
Heat-reducing awnings for summer. South-facing attic skylights can add 10 to 15 degrees to a loft by 4 pm in July if there is no exterior shading. A Velux heat-reducing awning sits outside the glass and blocks solar gain before it reaches the room, which lets the AC catch up without overworking.
Bathrooms
Moisture-resistant pleated blinds. Bathrooms get the worst of both worlds, steam from the shower and direct daylight from the skylight. We use Velux pleated blinds with a moisture-resistant fabric so the blind survives the humidity and still softens the glare off the tub and vanity.
Commercial Blinds and Accessories
Offices
Glare control over desks. Open office plans put desks directly under skylights, which kills screen contrast for the workers below. Velux light-filtering or blackout blinds over individual workstations cut glare and let the team adjust the light without leaving their chair, especially with the motorized or solar versions.
Clinics
Privacy and light control. Treatment rooms and consult rooms need light without losing privacy from a skylight above. We pair a Velux blackout blind with a wall-mounted KLR 200 keypad so the practitioner can darken the room between patients without leaving the chair.
Retail
Protect merchandise from UV fading. Direct sun through a retail skylight will fade clothing racks, leather displays and printed signage within a season. A Velux heat-reducing exterior awning cuts the UV at the glass, so the merchandise stays saleable without the store going dark on the sales floor.
Condo Amenity Rooms
Motorized control from a keypad. Party rooms and rooftop amenities usually have a Velux skylight over a kitchenette or dining table that guests cannot easily reach. A Velux KLR 200 keypad at the light switch lets the concierge close all the blinds at end-of-night without pulling a step stool.
Smart Accessories
Velux Active
App and sensor control. Velux Active is the indoor climate sensor and app that opens and closes skylights and blinds based on temperature, humidity and CO2 readings. We add it to VCS or VSS units at the time of install or as a retrofit, then pair the app so you can see what the room is doing from your phone.
KLR 200 Keypad
Wall-mounted control for skylights and blinds. The Velux KLR 200 is a hardwired wall keypad that lives next to the light switch and operates both the skylight and the blind. We mount it in a single-gang box, pair it to the Velux unit, and label the buttons so anyone in the house knows what each one does.
Rain Sensors
Automatic closing. Velux rain sensors mount to the skylight frame and tell the unit to close the glass at the first drop. VSS solar units already include one, but we add them as a retrofit to older VCS electric units so the skylight shuts itself if it starts raining while you are away.
Remotes
Pair multiple skylights to one remote. A single Velux remote can be paired to multiple skylights and blinds at once, so one button closes every bedroom blind at bedtime. We pair and label each remote at install so you do not have to remember which one goes with which room.
Accessory Range
| Accessory | Price installed |
|---|---|
| Manual blind | $300 to $440 |
| Motorized / solar blind | $560 to $830 |
| Rain sensor / smart remote | $370 to $600 |
| Heat-reducing awning | Quoted by size |
Our Accessory Expertise
We know which blinds fit which Velux generations and which need an adapter. We pair everything before we leave so you are not reading manuals.
What Actually Stops Homeowners From Adding Blinds
“Blinds will block my view.”
In our opinion, a blind you can open is better than a skylight you avoid in summer. Velux blinds are interior-fitted and slide up into a hidden headrail, so when the blind is open the view is the same as a bare skylight. Honestly, a closed blind in July usually beats a closed skylight you stopped opening because the room got too hot.
“It’s a hassle to reach.”
Solar and motorized blinds solve that. A Velux solar blind or motorized blind comes down with a remote or a wall keypad, so there is no standing on a chair. Honestly, that is the version we install most above stairwells, vaulted ceilings and high foyers because nobody wants to climb up there twice a day.
“They won’t fit my older skylight.”
We check the size code first. Most Velux skylights from the late 1990s on still match a current blind size code, and a few older models need a small adapter bracket. We read the data plate at the assessment so the blind arrives sized correctly and we know about any adapter before install day.
“Smart stuff is complicated.”
We pair and label everything. We label each remote and keypad with the room it controls, pair them on site, and walk you through the Velux Active app before we go. If you can use a TV remote, you can use the Velux setup we leave behind.
Blind Installation Timeline
Size Check
At the assessment. We read the Velux data plate on each skylight so every blind matches the size code on the order. If we are adding blinds to several skylights at once, we count them, photograph the plates, and write the fabric choice on the quote while we are still in the room.
Ordering
One to two weeks. Most Velux blinds ship from the Toronto warehouse in three to five business days, so a typical order lands within two weeks. Custom fabrics or large multi-blind orders can run a bit longer, and we will say so up front if your order is one of those.
Install
15 to 30 minutes per blind. Each Velux blind clips into the frame from inside the room, no roof work needed. A typical three-bedroom second floor with four blinds is usually done in under two hours including remote pairing and app setup.
Pairing
Done before we leave. Every remote, keypad and Velux Active sensor is paired and labelled before we leave the house. We write the room name on a small sticker on the back of each remote so future you (or a babysitter) doesn’t have to guess which button is which.
Velux Blind Cost in Toronto: What You Are Paying For
Blind Type
Manual is cheapest. A manual Velux blind runs $300 to $440 fully installed depending on size code, and is the right pick for low skylights that are easy to reach. Motorized and solar blinds run $560 to $830 installed, which is the right pick for stairwells, vaulted ceilings and bedrooms you want on a schedule.
Fabric
Blackout and heat-reducing cost a little more. Light-filtering fabric is the standard Velux stock and is included in the manual blind price. Blackout fabric (roughly 99 per cent light block) and the exterior heat-reducing awning fabric each add to the per-blind price because the material and hardware are heavier duty.
Power
Solar and electric add cost. Solar-powered Velux blinds are priced higher than manual because the motor, battery and solar panel are built into the headrail. Electric blinds need power, which is usually already present on VCS electric skylights but adds a small wiring step on FS or VS units.
Controls
Remotes, keypads and sensors. Velux remotes are usually included with motorized and solar blinds, but a wall-mounted KLR 200 keypad adds $370 to $600 installed and is worth it next to a light switch. Velux Active indoor climate sensors run a similar price and tie the whole setup to the phone app.
Install
Flat install fee per blind. We charge a flat $120 install on manual blinds and a flat $180 install on motorized and solar blinds, which covers the trip, the ladder time and the pairing. There is no per-screw or per-minute billing, so a four-blind job costs the same as four single visits in one day.
Quantity
Several blinds in one visit save time. Adding three or four blinds in a single visit drops the per-blind time and usually the per-blind price too because we are already on site with the ladder. We will quote the multi-blind discount on the itemized sheet so you can see what each one costs alone versus together.
Blinds vs New Skylight vs Repair: Which Service You Need
Light control only: blinds. Skylight failing too: Velux replacement. New room: Velux installation.
Fixed, Venting or Solar: Choosing Your Skylight Type
Any Velux type can take a blind. Solar VSS units pair best with solar blinds on one remote.
Blind Installation Timeline in Toronto: What to Expect Week-by-Week
Size check in week one, delivery in one to two weeks, install in under an hour for most homes.
Why Toronto Homeowners Trust Us With Accessories
We have been supplying and installing Velux blinds, remotes and rain sensors across Toronto and the GTA for over twenty years and more than 2,000 skylights, certified as a Velux partner since 2004. Every installer on the ladder is in-house, WSIB-covered and on payroll with us, with no subcontractors doing the work. We read the Velux data plate so the blind matches the size code the first time, pair every remote and keypad before we leave, and price every job as a flat per-blind install with the trip and pairing included. Trust us, you’re in good hands.
