Top 10 Most Popular Posts of 2015

My blog has seen huge growth from 2014 and I was actually excited to check my analytics and see my top 10 posts for 2015. By top posts, I don’t mean my favorite or the ones that got the most comments, but the most page views for this year. This will likely be an indicator on what I will be spending more of my time on for future posts! 🙂

Click the titles below or images to be taken to their respective posts.

10- X Media Console

This was one of my first custom builds for a client where I modified the Ana White X Console Table to be wider and lower to accommodate a TV sitting on top. I listed the modifications I made, as well as the stain combination I used for it in the post. It really is a simple build and I ended up building another and selling it at Vintage Market Days in the spring.

9- Round Trestle End Table

This was my second design and build that wasn’t a modification from anything. I saw something similar sold online and thought, “I think I can build something like that!” Having the right tools opens up a world of possibilities when you can afford to buy all new furniture. I have built 5 more of these end tables since this first one because it is by far the easiest table I’ve ever build.

8- Rustic Eastlake Headboard in the Master Bedroom

This headboard was one I had sitting in my garage for over a year, but once I finally got it ready to use, it started a snowball effect of installing shiplap, painting the room, and making new sconce lights. People often think that because I got my ‘business’ start painting furniture, that I paint everything. This headboard proved them wrong! 😉 In my opinion, Eastlake furniture should almost always be kept natural wood. It also made me realize how pretty a dark natural wood is against light and bright walls.

7- Fall Home Tour

This tour took me a solid 2 weeks to prep for. Seems ridiculous to spend that much time, no? But really, it was mostly a matter of allowing the time for me to arrange, rearrange, shoot, reshoot…. I have learned an immense amount about my photography this year and this was the first real tour I did that how I saw my house in my head was actually translating to my photos accurately.

6- Christmas Home Tour

I had been working on so many house projects that hadn’t been talked about much here and I was SO excited to show all the fun changes. It was almost too much ya know? haha! I am SO grateful that I was able to join such an amazing group in partnership with Country Living… it pushed me to create my best work.

5- Small Master Bathroom Vanity

No one really LOVES a small bathroom, right? Well, sometimes you fall in love with a home that has less-than-desirable features like small rooms/bathrooms. So instead of lamenting these aspects and ignoring them, I chose to take on the challenge of giving the biggest impact possible for these small spaces. I consider my master bathroom my favorite project to-date, because we DIYed every.dang.thing. And really, the star of the show was this vanity I designed, built, and stained/dry bushed.

4- Blue Door Painting Printable

This year I learned another valuable lesson… it takes me less time to paint something that you all might enjoy than it does to create a digital graphic. I was so happy to see this one printed out and pictured in some of your homes.

3- How to Dry Brush

I started doing a few video tutorials over the past year and a half and this one was probably my favorite… it was one that when I re-watch it, I don’t cringe at certain parts or wish I had re-done something (like in some of my other videos). It is such a great technique and is maybe my most used painting technique.

2- Small X End Table

This was my FIRST independent design and build and I was so dang pleased with it. My favorite thing about this table is that this year I have received numerous emails from readers who built the table as a first-time build and loved it. Those are my favorite emails– ones that tell me something they have built or made or created because they were inspired by something on my blog.

1- How to Sell Out: My Tips for Running a Booth

When I was writing this post I knew it was going to resonate with a lot of people. It took me a really long time to organize my thoughts and cover everything that I felt that was important, but I STILL get comments on this post every other week. It was also a post that couldn’t have come earlier in my blogging career or later. I needed enough experience to know what I was talking about, and I was still fresh from selling out from the spring show, so my observations were still fresh. It was no surprise to me that it is my most popular post of the year, and probably of all time. I have over 7 times as many page views on this post as my 10th most popular post, the X Media Console.

 

Did any of these surprise you? What was YOUR favorite post of mine for 2015? Did any of them stand out that you remember? I’d love to know!

I cannot express my gratitude for you all enough. I read every comment and notice those who frequently ‘like’ my pictures on Facebook or Instagram, even if I don’t always have time to say something, I notice… and I really truly appreciate it. It means a lot to me. Please let me know if there is something you would like to see more of in this coming year and I will do my best to incorporate it!

Happy New Year! xo, Rachel