Inside Juanita's Kilkenny Home – Her Made-to-Measure Voile Story

We were delighted to welcome back Juanita, the creative voice behind @mykilkennyhome, for the next chapter of her ongoing home story. Juanita has shared every step of her family home with her followers, and her considered, neutral-led approach to interiors has made her one of Ireland's most loved interiors accounts.

This isn't Juanita's first collaboration with Material World. Beautiful additions to her sitting room, utility, office, and guest room have all come from the team in Naas, and she's returned again for her next project: dressing the windows in her kitchen, dining and living space.

"I've been so delighted with the quality of the fabrics and the beautiful additions to those spaces," she says. "It was a sure thing that I was going to come back to Material World for my next piece."

 

The Heart of the Home

The open-plan kitchen, dining and living space is where Juanita's family gathers most. It's the room for watching television in the evenings, for catching up on the day, for Sunday lunch with family and friends. A vaulted ceiling and architectural apex window above the sliding doors flood the space with light, and Juanita was determined to keep it that way.

"The vibe for this space was really relaxing," she says. "It was very important that we kept it light and bright, and we didn't want anything too dark."

That brief led her away from heavier curtain fabrics and towards something altogether softer.

 

Choosing a Voile That Lets the Light In

Knowing she wanted to dress the windows without weighing them down, Juanita paid a visit to the Material World showroom in Naas, where Ashling and the team walked her through the options.

"I really wanted to create a light, spacious vibe to this space," she explains. "Moving away from a more curtain-type material, I wanted more of a voile. It was lovely to be there to touch and feel the fabric to get an idea of what it would look like in the space."

After spending time browsing the collection, Juanita chose a beautiful natural linen voile paired with the Milano Natural braid, a detail she's used elsewhere in her home and one she knew would work beautifully with the softness of the linen.

"What I really love about the fabric is it looks so natural and feels so soft to touch. It hangs beautifully in the space, and when you see the pleats and braid, it all comes together very well. It has a lovely lightness to it, and it doesn't completely block out the light if you want to keep that softness in the space."

To finish the look, she chose a slim black rail to blend seamlessly with her black sliding doors. "It's almost as if you don't see there is a rail hanging the voile on the door, which gives a real seamless look."

A Neutral Palette Designed to Evolve

For Juanita, the appeal of a natural linen voile goes beyond how it looks today. It's about how the room can grow and change around it.

"I'm a big fan of having neutral fabrics in my home," she says. "It gives me the opportunity to be flexible with my finishes, like my cushions, rugs, and also my wall colours. These linen voiles give me plenty of scope to adapt the look of the room, and they will blend in seamlessly with whatever I decide to do in the future."

Juanita's Advice for Choosing Window Dressings

Having worked with Material World on five rooms now, Juanita has a clear sense of how to approach a project like this. Her advice is generous and grounded:

  • Take your time and really browse through the selection of fabrics available to you.

  • Think about the look and feel you're trying to achieve, and how you'll actually use the space.

  • Bring samples home so you can see them next to your furniture, rugs and wall colours.

  • Trust the team to guide you through the process.

"Bringing the fabric home is really helpful," she says. "It helps you see them in the space and narrow down your selection to pick the right shade for your room."

 

Looking Ahead

Each Material World project has only deepened Juanita's confidence in the team. "I'm really delighted with the voiles I've added to my space, and the team have been fantastic to work with. The range of fabrics available, and the support and advice provided to help you pick the exact product to achieve the look you want, has been so helpful. I know that I look forward to working with them again in the future."

For more information about our voiles and curtains, our made-to-measure service, or for advice or a quote, please contact us today. We would love to hear from you.