I’ve been doing this blog thing for a long time now (going on seven (SEVEN!!) years!). I love that I’ve been able to help support my family and do so many of the things that I love to do, and do them from home. Truly, I’m so grateful for what I have, and the trade offs have been just right for me, but I also have a million regrets about things I chose to not make time for (never wrote my book, still totally stink at AutoCAD, still on blogspot, etc, etc, etc), but I’m trying to let go of some of those regrets and focus on the good parts. I hope to hang on with the blog after the baby comes, too, but I am also ready for a bit of a change in my schedule and content that better reflects what my life and career look like now, seven years after starting LGN.
There are so many question marks, and my feelings on the answers change daily, hourly. Should I scale back and focus my work on the things that bring me the very most joy? Or hire and expand and take my design and blog/Domino work out of my house and maybe let go of the reins a little? The blog world seems to be changing at light speed lately (we’re dropping like flies!!) and it seems like a good time, both personally and professionally, to gear up for some of my own changes.
One piece of exciting news is my site redesign is suuuuper close to being done! We’re moving everything to jennykomenda.com (long story for another day – been in and out of litigation for years on the obvious url), and everything is looking great. I can’t wait to show you the pretty and way more organized site when it’s ready for it’s close up.
While that’s getting done, and while we’re figuring out what my business will look like and where I’ll run it from, I’ve decided to do some quick updates to the studio space we have over the garage, mostly just to hold me over. Whenever I feel the itch to make some big life changes, I force myself to get organized first, just in case that was the underlying problem all along.
We’re almost done painting the floors a glossy white to brighten up the room and I spray painted the frames of three giant, industrial shelving units (inspiration HERE). We started organizing my fabric stash and I think I’m going to hold another big fabric sale in a couple weeks. Maybe with pillows this time!
Other changes to the space will be pretty minor, mostly just streamlining what I already have. I do have a desk project in my future though. My brother and his wife bought a new house and I gave them the Widdicomb table I had been using as a desk. And as luck would have it, the very same day I found this beat-up beauty at Goodwill for a song.
It’s clearly not in the best shape, or at least the top isn’t, but the lines are amazing. It’s pouring rain here (like flash flood warning levels of water), so as soon as the weather cooperates, I’ll start fixing her up and hope that in return for the favor, she’ll whisper to me what I should do with my career.
It’s just occurring to me that maybe this desk is like my blog? Not in perfect shape, especially compared to others, but the lines are there, and it’s probably worth fixing. :)
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PS Some of you asked what the Arteriors Tilda chandelier in our entry looked like at night. Ask and you shall receive!
Yours is my favorite blog and one that I read whenever there is a new post. I have saved many of your posts for ideas for future projects! I would be very sad to see you go, but understand you may want/need changes in your career and family life. Just know your blog is valuable!
Whatever you choose, I am sure it will be amazing… though selfishly I hope that the blog doesn't go, since I adore basically everything you do. :)
Congrats! All of these things are awesome. I love the chandelier so much!
Bromley's dry cleaners
http://www.bromleyscarpetcleaners.co.uk/carpet-dry-cleaning.htm
I just adore your blog. It's the only one I read every day. You are so creative and have such beautiful projects. I look forward to seeing what you do in the future!
Jenny, I LOVE your blog! Take a break but come back to blogging! I love your home and all of your DIY's!!!!!!!!!!!
Best of wishes to the new baby, can't wait to see the nursery!
Follow your heart!
Annette
Jenny, don't leave us! I need your blog posts more then I need a cup of coffee in the morning. Plus, I need to see how you fix the table from Goodwill!
LGN= my morning paper! I always look forward to your next genius DIY and beautiful interiors. The thing I love most about your blog is that despite the sponsored posts, I never feel like you are trying to sell something. Everything is your voice, with no contributors. I have three girls and can barely keep up with the laundry, I don't know how you do it. Thanks for all of the inspiration!
whatever you decide to do please know you have been a HUGE inspiration for me. i have so much admiration for your talent and drive. reading your blog has encouraged me to tackle DIY projects that i would have never considered five years ago. thank you.
Love, love your blog, your amazing creativity and the way you and your husband are nurturing your children, too. Congratulations on the new baby, come January! God's richest blessings on whatever you decide for you all.
I think I just cried a little. Seriously. It's that horrible internal struggle of, "She needs to let us go and concentrate on her business and her children" and "What in the DEUCE will I do without my daily fix of Sista JK?!"
Your blog is that perfect mix of HOW you came to your design decision and WHY you chose to do it the way you did; it's not just an everyday how-to, DIY blog. It's a little part of you, and I honestly don't know what I'll do without it if you do decide to change direction somehow.
That being said, a new life will need all of you for a while, so enjoy that precious bond. I was giggling this morning while hanging up my son's size 12 pants. When did THAT happen?! Wasn't he just in diapers?
We're all just lucky to get a peek into your design world!
Please don't abandon your beautiful blog! Yours was the first really good one I came across when I moved into my first home with my husband, and it's been such a blessing and an inspiration. I've been following you for years!
I actually had a girl visit my house recently to purchase some chairs I posted on Craigslist. She was also into home design, and so I asked if she knew your blog and Emily Henderson, and of course she did! Then she looked at my chandelier over the dining room table – the DIY sputnik – and was like, "Yep, LGN!"
If you left us in the cold, I would be so sad! Of course I would purchase your books, but it's not the same as typing in the URL every few days and feeling like I'm touring your home. You're an inspiration to so many. By all means, do what you've gotta do – scale back, change up some content – but don't leave us!
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I wish you the best.
Please don't think you need to be like other blogs or sites. I LOVE how you are different. You are my ultimate favorite designer and blogger, and I hope that if any changes occur- they're because you want to for yourself, not because you feel the need to conform. You are amazing. If you decide to scale back for family or whathaveyou, please do not disappear entirely. I will cry myself to sleep. ;) But seriously. You are amazing. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. And good luck deciding which road to take. xo
You are amazing!! Your projects are so inspiring. Change the blog look if you want but do not change the content and please,please,please NEVER STOP!!!! I love my morning visits daily!
I can't imagine how exhausting all of your responsibilities are, but for what it's worth, this is my favorite blog by far. We are all so crazy busy and it's hard to keep up with all the blogs I would like to follow, learn and draw inspiration from, but I always allow myself time in the week to check yours. It never ceases to amaze me what your mind can come up with and pull off. I love the mix of high and low you give us. You've taught us that good design doesn't all have to be really expensive. Your content couldn't get any better and I wouldn't want anything to change. You're awesome Jenny!
Why are all the bloggers dropping like flies. I love your blog and would truly miss it. YHL has a book and has/ had a blog. I like the blog better. I read through the book once, but the blog, like yours is ever green. We totally appreciate your hard work and inspiration. Please keep blogging. I am totally looking forward to little baby design posts.
I have read your blog every day for years and like many of your readers I don't believe I have ever left a comment. However, I often reference your blog and direct my friends and family to your inspirational pages. Your posts are always fresh, exciting and beautiful! Good luck with whatever the next chapter may be (hopefully it includes some form of this blog) and congrats on the new baby. Four girls! That is wonderful.
I've probably been following you for at least five of those seven years you've been blogging. There were a bunch of design blogs that I used to follow, but I've cut back to a pretty homogenous diet of LGN. :) I often refer back to your old posts, and it's funny how they never seem outdated. I'm excited to see how your new website turns out!
Also, I know how life is with four kids, so I'll be grateful and inspired to see anything you post, even if it's only a few times a month! Best wishes through these big transitions!
Hi Jenny, I also wanted to let you know I follow your blog religiously – it's one of the top three must reads of my day, and right after my commute with coffee and NPR! I'm a video producer who dreams of being a designer and lives vicariously through you. Thanks for your constant inspiration. I know what it feels like to want a change, and the desire to keep thriving in a career. I wish we could team up and make web videos :) I used to do work for DIY and HGTV- you need your own show. Good luck!
First of all, congrats on the most exciting news, another girl on the way! Second, I truly love your blog…it brings me so much inspiration. You are a true talent!
But, most importantly do what is best for YOU and your family…and don't feel guilty about it. Life is short, so live it to its fullest :)
First, congratulations on the new baby on the way! If you need to put the blog on the back burner when she comes, I totally get that family comes first.
That said, yours is far and away my favorite blog! I seldom comment, but it never fails to lift my spirits seeing all the wonderful things you dream up.
I have a hard time imagining how it could be better, but I feel that way about your home too, and you just keep making it more amazing, so I'm sure you could do that with your blog too.
Sending thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
Jenny, I've read every single blog entry you wrote (and that's quite a number). I understand things change, you have to think about your career and soon, the new baby, but pleeezee, don't change too much! You are such an inspiration!
Firstly, congratulations on the new bambino! Your girls are adorable…and Linus too!
Secondly, your blog is SO fabulous and inspiring – I would be devastated if you decided to leave us! That said, I'm excited to see what you'll be doing next, no matter what it may be. :)
Oh, Jenny, please don't leave me! Your blog is my #1 favorite blog; every time I see a new post, I fistbump myself, and every time you do something amazing (like that fabric covered ikea chair?) I think, "Jenny, you GENIUS." So, while I understand your need to, you know, live your own life and whatnot, please don't go! Your blog is always a joy to read, and your projects inspire me so much.
I'm a long-time reader, first time poster, to say thanks for what you do for us, the loyal readers who get an unbelievably awesome free design service and regular DIY inspiration. I can appreciate how much work goes into each and every post and know that it is time spent away from competing demands on your time. Please know that your "good enough" is so much better than the pursuit of perfection that has consumed and eventually ruined so many great bloggers. What is happening in blog land lately?!? I hope that the table tells you to stay the course on the blog/site…please table, please say it.
I'm so happy for you and all your changes. But please don't lose the blog. It's one of my favorite parts of the day. You touch people in ways you'll never know.
A new baby?! That's the best job in the world! Congrats!
1) You are going to be great at whatever you set your mind to! Of course I would love to keep reading your blog – in any way shape or form! (and or book!) I love your blog because its so authentic, and comes from such a personal perspective. thank you for that. Its been a great inspiration for me.
2) I must be living under a rock – which bloggers are dropping like flies?
3) congrats on your new addition!!!!
I so relate to your post! Although I've never really made money from my blog, and I haven't blogged in a year (due to many personal reasons) I still plan on keeping it around and blogging in the (very near) future! I think it's worth it to keep, if only just to chronicle your work and life, which is what it is really supposed to do, right?! I've also been working on my redesign and switching domains for like ever. ~.^ One thing we added to the redesign is an interactive layout of our whole apartment in the house tour section. Check it out if you'd like!
http://visualvocabularie.com/home-tour/
When you hover over a room, it goes into full color, and when you click, it takes you to all the posts related to said room. I personally love to see the layouts of homes, I feel like it helps to complete the visual when looking at photos and seeing how one organizes and deals with the flow of each room. Can't wait to see the new site! :)
1) Congrats on the baby news!
2) Holy cow that table is amazing. I got really excited that something like that even exists. Good grab, man.
3) My vote (that you totally didn't ask for?) Expand. Get structured help. Use the little time you have before baby #3 to start ushering in some changes and developing where you want to take this. I say this because even though everything you produce isn't necessarily my style, I have been coming back to read here for a long time now. Your brain comes up with the most interesting stuff…
Your blog is well written and edited, and the overall tone is friendly but not bubbly (more on the professional side, I think) and that leads me to think that a transition to a wider environment might be easier for you than say, your average family blogger. You produce some amazing content, but with three kids I really don't think you should have to rely on just yourself to keep putting things out there. Not to mention that you seem to have a knack for finding both inspiration and talent.
Joanna Goddard and Lauren Liess are both bloggers I follow who have help in some capacity, and I have so much respect for that because not only are they doing great things but they are providing amazing opportunities for others.
Well, sorry for all the words. It's just that you're right: the blog-world is changing. And my impression of you is that you have the instincts, the ambition, and the talent to take it to the next level. That said, I would totally support and keep following if you did decide to scale back and take on less here.
It will be nice to have a more organized site, but I hope you don't change how intimate your voice is and how doable your projects seem! I feel like so many other blogs, once they get successful, become glossy and impersonal, almost like online magazines. I love that yours still feels like a blog in spite of occasional sponsored posts and whatnot. And although you have big deal gigs like Domino features, you still post stuff about the beat-up table you found at Goodwill. Can't wait to see what you do next!
Your site constantly inspires me to take my own projects further, and b take more risks. Thanks for the night shot of Tilda!
Focus on the things that bring you the most joy! That's my vote.
just a quick note to tell you how amazing I think you are for all you do! the inspiration you give, helps me through crazy afternoons with kids :) you are one talented GF! way to always work on having a balance in life. thanks for sharing the beauty in your life :)
Don't forget, you're expecting. My experience has been that important decisions shouldn't be made while your hormones are whacked. Congrats on the new baby girl!
I never comment but I do want you to know that your blog is the only one I have consistently read for a long time. It is currently the only one I check on a regular basis. I love your ideas and your can-do attitude. You are very inspiring!
Dear Jenny, I have only been following LGN for a year and what a joy. Congratulations on the baby news, I wish the best for your lovely family. I am amazed and truly inspired on how much you contribute to us all. I hope you find balance in work and life, and I hope you will listen to your inner voice on whats best for you. Thank you for sharing all your fabulous ideas. Light and love from Charlotte, Denmark (pls excuse my grammar errors -my english is rusty :-))
Jenny, I have followed you since you were in Pennsylavania, and you feel like an old friend to me. :) I know you'll do what's best for you and your family, as you should(!) but I will miss your blog if you decide to phase out. My fingers are crossed that your blog content will remain online for decades to come, whatever your decision will be. All the best to you with #4 and your impending decisions. XOXO
I love your blog!! You're so amazing. Congrats on the new baby girl :)
You are a tough critic of yourself! I think that the quantity and quality of your work is stupefying. And your forward vision is amazing…. You are always ahead of the pack. Site redo or no, your content is just incredible. If you are exhausted, maybe you could post much less frequently?
I'm wishing you balance and peace, and I really (selfishly) hope that keeping this blog will be part of that.
Hi Jenny, I am from Argentina, and I have been following your blog silently for a very long time. I even travelled to the US in September for my anniversary, and had my husband follow me in a magazine hunt so that I could return home with the Domino mag that had your feature. This is the first time I write though, and it is because I can´t miss this opportunity to tell you how much I LOOOOOVE your blog!! And whatever you decide to do please, please, please, don´t leave us without a final house tour to see how all the rooms turned out, everything you do is inspiring. The Domino spread showed very little and left me wanting more.
Congratulations on your 4th baby!
Jenny, your blog was the first design blog I ever read. And still the first I turn to for inspiration and instruction. Your ideas are truly original and always so, so classy. I appreciate your love for beauty, your amazing diy skills and your willingness to share. Your little corner of the web is my favorite corner of the web.
Thanks for sharing so many good things.
Yours is my absolute favorite design blog – I would be heartbroken if you gave it up completely! I wish you all the best with the latest addition to your family, and I totally understand wanting to re-balance your various endeavors, but, selfishly, I really hope you do keep the blog going, in any capacity. It's so inspiring, yet accessible – and that's a rare find in blogland. xo, Kira
You account for 1/3 of all the blogs I read and 100% of the design blogs I read. Please don't leave! I mean, please do what is best for your family and career, but throw us a bone every once in a while at least. :)
Congrats on the baby!! I understand wanting to re-evaluate but hope you will keep blogging. Your blog is my favorite!!
I too, haven't ever commented on your posts before. But I look at your blog everyday. Your work and stories of your home and family are truly inspiring. I recently met you at the Home Depot lighting course and couldn't have been more excited to pick your brain.
I hope that whatever direction you decide to go in, your readers will be able to take a peak into your creative mind and wonderful spirit.
xo
First time commenter, long time reader…
Your blog is THE PLACE that I go for inspiration. Specifically the genius ideas that you have, and the encouragement that I can do these things too. Your homes have all been gorgeous, yet PRACTICAL. I love seeing your ideas and instructions here on LGN. I understand that you might need to focus your time elsewhere but maybe you can post less often here? Don't totally go away, this blog is such an amazing resource (even posts that are years old are still relevant and useful). You have brought so many of us great ideas and blessed us with your creativity. Hope you can continue to share it with us. Best wishes, and congratulations on your newest family member.
I've been a reader for years and yours is one of the few blogs that I still check almost daily! I love your work! Good luck in figuring out what to do next – I hope it still allows me a way to see your creativity!
Don't make me cry Jenny! (I know it's partly my pregnancy hormones!) but I can't lose another favorite blogger! I really like your simplicity and I feel like my draw to your blog is the doable day's. I've never bought furniture from goodwill but now I am constantly checking it out! I hope you find what you are meant to do with your site but know that we all love and admire your work!
Jenny, I'm one of your silent followers. I've only commented a handful of times in the nearly 5 years I've enjoyed your blog. It is one I read and look forward to daily. I just wanted to tell you, like all the others, what a true inspiration you and your work are. I am a diy'er, and the ideas you come up with are like gold. I refer back to your previous posts often. I would be so saddened if your blogging ceased, but after having my first child this year, I truly understand how nothing else in life is as important than your children/family. Just know, wherever you go, there are a million of us cheering you on :)