good Monday morning...

I just saw this quote over on La Dolce Vita, and it feels very appropriate right now. Trust that things will work out as they should.

target finds: threshold obsessed...

I have to confess, I am in love with all things Threshold at Target. For those living under a rock, (just kidding) Threshold is Target's in-house home decor line. It's a great blend of shabby-chic and modern design. On a recent trip to Target, I took pics of some of my favorite items in store right now. Enjoy!

They have a huge selection of teal and gold accents. I love that combo. 

Can you be in love with a table? This gold wire side table is meant to live in my house. 

These brass cage candleholders would look fantastic in a cluster on a mantel or console table. 

Aren't these little brass animals the cutest?

These look like they are straight out of an old farm house. And they need to come straight into my house! 

You all know how much I love reclaimed wood mirrors. This one is not the right size for my space but still cute none the less. Paired with the mirrored tray, it would look great in an entry way. 

This small rug is so cheery. The blend of aqua, mustard and coral just screams spring! 

If you like any of these items, I would run, not walk, to your local Target. The Threshold line always sells out fast. 

introducing new e-design services...

I hear from friends all the time, "I wish you could come decorate my house." But for one reason or another, they can never pull the trigger to redesign their space. A lot of the time it is the time and money commitment -- it just seems too expensive and too time-consuming to commit to overhauling your space. But never fear, I have a solution....

e-Design Boards are detailed online design boards that are an affordable way to begin a room redesign. Each design board comes with a complete online source list and detailed description of the design. It gives you the control to take the redesign at your own pace. 

Sophisticated Sitting Room

How it works: 

• You send me pictures of the room you want redesigned, measurements of the space, a list of your design likes and dislikes for the space, 2-3 inspiration pictures, and your design budget.  
• We'll chat on the phone or via email to ensure we are on the same page.
• I will create an online design board complete with sourcing information for all furnishings, accessories and paint colors.  
• Pricing will include one round of revisions, additional revisions will incur additional costs. 

It's that easy!

Chic little girl's room

Who it's good for: 

• Homeowners on a tight budget
• People who need a fresh set of eyes to give them inspiration
• Those who've wanted to redesign their space but don't know where to start
• People wanted to create a new look for an old space or blank canvas
• Anyone who lives too far away for an in-home visit but still wants design help

Asian-inspired dining room

You control the budget, so the entire design won't cost a penny more than you have allotted. 

How much does it cost?

• $150 per board

Additional costs:

• $50 per round of revisions after first round
• $200 in-home visit/consultation
• Shopping assistance and staging are quoted on a per project basis

Beachy Neutral Family Room

I love designing homes and helping people feel good about their space -- and I'd love to help you. So if you've been thinking about freshening up the rooms in your home and think an e-design board might be right for you, just email me at jenna.schauer.obrien@gmail.com.

reflections: choosing a mantel mirror...

Since we had our living room painted (I know, I still need to share pictures!) our mantel has remained bare. 

As you well know, finding just the right look for the mantel has always been a challenge for me. but recently I have become very decisive on what a want  -- a large, reclaimed wood round mirror. Now I just need to find the right one. So I'm asking for your help....

OPTION #1: Mixture of light and dark wood 

I liked this one because it ties in the lighter wood in the kitchen with the darker wood in the family room. 

OPTION #2: Medium wood tones

This wood most closely coordinated with the wood in the living room. It's the most cohesive, but is it too boring? Just like with the first one, I like the symmetrical roundness of it. 

OPTION #3: Grey-wash sunburst

This mirror that I saw on Olioboard is what first inspired me to go with a wooden mirror. Gray is the primary color used in the family room, but is it too much gray? Blend too much with the walls? The sunburst edges give it some fun interest. 

OPTION #4: Brown-tone sunburst

This mirror combines the medium wood tones I like in #2 with the interesting edges of #3. My worry is that I will get sick of the sunburst style. Is it just a trend or will it last through the years? 

So now you can see why I need your help. Let me know which mirror you like best! 

still cookin': teriyaki chicken and rice noodles...

I've been trying to "shop my pantry" lately to come up with some new recipes. 

Tonight I created Teriyaki Chicken Thighs over Rice Noodles. 

The recipe was very simple and only requires a few ingredients -- now, that's my kind of recipe!
You will need:

• 4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs 
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2-3 Tbsp. of brown sugar
• Package of rice noodles
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lime cut in half
• 1 lime, wedged
• Handful of spicy peanuts
• Shredded carrots

In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic. Add the chicken thighs to a crock pot and pour the soy sauce mix over the top. Squeeze the line halves over the chicken and leave the limes in the pot for flavor. Cook on high for two hours and then reduce to low heat for 3-4 more hours, occasionally turning the chicken to coat.

When your chicken is almost done, prepare the rice noodles as the package directs. Remove chicken from the pot. The remaining liquid will be the sauce for your noodles. Then top your chicken and noodles with shredded carrots, spicy peanuts and lime juice.

It was yummy if I do say so myself. Tasty and easy is the name of the game for recipes in my house! 

we're cookin' now: chicken noodle casserole...

We have a few meal staples in our house: tacos (beef and chicken), chili, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken over eggs noodles with mushroom sauce. I make at least one of them once a week. I try to throw in new recipes to keep things interesting, but sometimes I just don't have the time or energy to whip up something totally original, so I re-imagine a staple dish. And that is how Chicken Noodle Casserole was born.

The staple dish, Chicken Over Egg Noodles with Mushroom Sauce, consists of baked chicken served over a bed of egg noodles and covered in a sauce that is a combination of cream of mushroom soup and  light alfredo pasta sauce.

To re-imagine the dish, I boiled 4 chicken tenderloin strips until cooked through, removed those, set them aside and then added about 3/4 of a big bag of egg noodles to the chicken water. While those were cooking I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. Then I cubed up the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

In a separate bowl, I whisked together two cans of cream of mushroom soup with 1/2 cup of sour cream and added salt and pepper to taste. Once the noodles were done, I combined everything into a casserole dish until it was well coated. Then I melted a half stick of light butter and tossed it together with 1-2 cups of planko breadcrumbs and topped the casserole.

Then I cooked it for 30 minutes or until the top was golden brown.

I have to admit, I kind of like this better than the original. I think baking it all together let's the flavors blend much better. This re-imagined dish might just become a new staple!

JENNA'S QUICK TIP: When boiling chicken, in addition to salt, I add onion powder to my cooking water. It marinates into the chicken and gives it a little added flavor!