Jen Going, a long-time Long Islander, has made the East End her home and place of business since the mid 1990s, when her mother-in-law offered her entry into the interior design business. Going worked with her for 15 years before her death and kept the business going before creating her own atelier in 2010 in Westhampton Beach. She relocated to Quogue, where she spent summers as a child, and lives in Remsenburg.
Today, Jen Going Interiors has three full-time employees (“and always an intern” says Going) and a lifestyle-themed storefront that offers not only curated home décor and concepts, but a peek into Going’s design philosophy, which leans heavily on objects of meaning—not trends.
“I like a layered home that has things around you that are meaningful,” she says, adding that creating that kind of environment takes time, thought and “really living with your stuff” to know what resonates—or not. “You can’t really conjure that up in six months and make it perfect and turnkey.”
Fun fact: In the 1970s, Going’s parents turned extra space in their house into a disco. “It was a legit disco with the strobes and Wolfman Jack’s Midnight Special, playing on the TVs, a DJ booth and a bar,” she recalls. “It was just such a crazy thing to do, but when I look back, that was such an influential thing to me … like they really picked their folly and went with it.”
That influence stuck with her today as she designs with a sense of “follow your heart.” Or, your folly.
Southforker: So, how about that disco?!
Jen Going: It was this big empty area that my parents weren’t sure what they wanted to do with, so they just closed the wall up and left it there. Then 1977 hit, and they put a nightclub in and every weekend had these big crazy parties. It taught me to leave something undone and live there for a little bit and see what you want to use it for. I always advise people to do that, and I think that’s where that comes from.
SF: But you don’t advise people to build discos (just kidding)—or do you?
JG: Ha! It’s more like telling clients you don’t have to do everything immediately. Live in your home for a summer or two and see how you use your space the best. These are second homes. You know, they’re fun, an escape and a folly. I’m lucky to be working in an area like this where people tend to do some fun things with their homes.
SF: You have a storefront in Quogue — tell us about that.
JG: It’s where I have my office-slash-conference room, so all winter long it’s a design studio and in the summer, it becomes more of a storefront. It’s more like lifestyle—all types of things and all kinds of home accessories such as books, lamps and upholstery … some antiques, things that I find on my travels. We do a lot of pop-ups too in the summer when we get more foot traffic. I like to keep it different and I like to have things that are one of a kind—mostly custom-designed things, like some of our furniture, or tabletop and textiles, or even clothing.
SF: You sound busy! But what do you like doing in your spare time, when you have it?
JG: I love to do a museum day in the city and eat at Orsay [on the Upper East Side]. But if I have down time, I like to take it in a clump and travel— I tend to go back to Italy over and over. I love Paris, too, and Egypt is on my list. I am going to do a great Egypt trip before I die, for sure.
SF: And closer to home, what are some favorite spots?
JG: I love to visit Madoo gardens, which are beautiful, and LongHouse Reserve is gorgeous. Little Gull at the old Speonk train station is adorable and great for breakfast. The Sunset Theater here in Westhampton is great — they did a whole renovation restoration of that theater, and have a beautiful cocktail lounge.
