After a major 2nd-story remodel, I'm realizing that hot summers are just too much for the 6' x 6' east-facing window in my open stairway. I live in an area with hot summers and cold winters (northern Utah), so I'm interested in cellular blinds for energy efficiency. The window is high enough over the stairs that manual operation is not a good option, so I'm looking at motorized options, ideally with a timer. If I can find something that works well, I'd like to get similar coverings for two more windows (3' x 4') in adjacent rooms and operate them with the same remote. Also, the walls are insulated with spray-in foam, so ideally I'd use the
battery wand rather than having to open up my walls to run hardwiring (unless your advice is overwhelmingly to suck it up and run wiring!).

After seeing r2d2indy's post about big windows and then big window coverings, I checked out blindsgalore.com and found many reasonably-priced (read: <$1k apiece, which is less than I've seen so far at custom shops), including Graber, Kellie, Bali, and others.

My questions for those of you who have had motorized blinds, especially long-term: Which brands and features do you recommend, and why? Which brands and features should I avoid, and why?

Thank you in advance!