The 12 Most Popular Projects of All Time

Last month marked 12 years since I started this blog. 12 years! Freaking crazy. I wrote my first post on February 13, 2011 without any intention of it becoming a thing. I would have laughed in your face if you told me that 12 years later I would still be plugging away at it and still thoroughly enjoying it. I’ve always blogged pretty casually, writing a post when I have something to write about and time to write it, and never forcing myself to stick to a schedule or post at a certain frequency. I fully believe that kindness to myself is the only reason I am still here. Otherwise, I would have burned out ages ago.

So today, let’s look back at some stats and projects from the last 12 years.

First, the stats. I went to my analytics to look up the top posts over the life of the blog, and got distracted looking at numbers. I thought I’d share some of them… because if I think it’s interesting, you may too.

Total pageviews over the life of this blog – 25,673,258

Highest traffic day of all time – February 7, 2014, with 156,904 pageviews in a single day. (For reference, I get about 2,000 pageviews a day now.)

Average session duration (amount of time a person spends on my website before leaving) – 1 minute 43 seconds

Traffic sources –

  1. Pinterest, 32%
  2. Google search, 25%
  3. Direct (type URL directly, or bookmarking), 20%
  4. Facebook, 6%

Gender of readers – 75.2% female, 24.8% male

Blog Traffic by Year

  • 2011 – didn’t track pageviews….didn’t even know that was a thing
  • 2012 – 1,752,640
  • 2013 – 2,885,285
  • 2014 – 3,747,768
  • 2015 – 3,783,898
  • 2016 – 3,713,123
  • 2017 – 2,216,418
  • 2018 – 1,658,920
  • 2019 – 1,553,681
  • 2020 – 1,839,244
  • 2021 – 1,408,395
  • 2022 – 737,096

As you can see, traffic hasn’t exactly been on the upswing. Blog reading in general has decreased over the years, with the growing popularity of things like social media (which I’m terrible at keeping up with).

Then last year, in 2022, I rebranded the blog from Domestic Imperfection to Wildfire Interiors. As you can see, that URL change killed my traffic, cutting it in half. I knew changing it would negatively impact things, but I severely underestimated how much and how permanent that decline would be.

Do I regret changing it? No, I don’t. While I liked the previous name, it no longer fit my life and goals. I am branching out from blogging to also doing design work for clients, and I needed a professional name to go with that new direction. The decline does suck though, because with less traffic comes less income.

 

Ok…Ready to see what the top projects are?

Let’s do this.  

The Top 12 Projects of all Time

 

12. HOW TO RAISE YOUR CABINETS AND ADD A SHELF  (2013)

This post may have been written a decade ago, but I think the solution is timeless. “What to do with the space above my cabinets” is a question that probably everyone has asked, and this gives your kitchen a custom look, adds storage, is an easy DIY, and is basically free. Can’t beat that!

raise your cabinets to the ceiling

 

11. EVERYTHING I’VE LEARNED ABOUT PAINTING SHIPLAP (2018)

This post is at the top of the list of posts that surprised me by being popular. To be all the way honest, I didn’t even want to write this post, because it seemed so basic that it wasn’t even worth writing a post about. It was written as more of a project update post than a “how to” post. Either way, it took off and consistently gets Google traffic. Note to self – simple posts are good. Write more of them.

How to paint shiplap

10. FARMHOUSE KITCHEN REVEAL   (2013)

I’m really glad this one made the cut, because I think it turned out really well for a $1,600 kitchen renovation ($3700 if you include all the appliances.)  If you click through to the post there are links to all the projects and costs.

cheap kitchen updated with paint

 

9. HOW TO BUILD THICK FLOATING SHELVES FROM PLYWOOD   (2020)

Most of the posts on this list are old, because blog traffic was higher in the past, and also they have had more time to rack up the pageviews. This one was written only a few years ago though, and gets all its traffic from Pinterest.

popular project - how to build floating shelves

 

8. DINING ROOM CURTAIN PROJECT  (2011)

This is one of my very first blog projects, and it still gets traffic today. Also, I look back on stuff like this and smile, because I was one creative and determined woman. The amount of extra money I had to spend on home decor a decade ago was basically nothing, but I found ways to get what I wanted on that budget.

For this project, I wanted curtains for the dining room –

It was a four-bay window, and finding a curtain rod for that was proving impossible. Most of them were for three bay windows, and either way, they were far beyond my price range. So instead, I crafted my own using brackets, electrical conduit, and plastic tubing.

DIY bay curain rod

Then I made some back tab curtains, and you know what? It turned out awesome and cost almost nothing. 38-year-old me is proud of 26 years old me.

DIY dining room bay curtains and rod

A dining room table in front of a window

 

7. THE DIRTY COWBOY TREATMENT   (2012)

I have to laugh at this one. Like…why is this on the list? It wasn’t a new idea, or a mind-blowing tutorial, or even a very Google-able post. Literally it is just distressing furniture with stain to make it look old. Then I gave it a funny name, and boom…one of my most viewed posts ever. This makes me miss the good old days of blogging, because I guarantee you I spent like an hour writing that post, and these days I swear I spend weeks writing just one. Simple and informative…that seems to be the key.

the dirty cowboy treatment (distressing with stain)

 

6. LESS MESS PROJECT PANTRY REVEAL   (2012)

This pantry post is another great example of simple content doing better than much more attractive complicated content. I’ve blogged about two pantries on this blog. This popular one from 2012 –

how to organize your pantry

And this one in my last house which I absolutely loved and was WAY prettier –

DIY farmhouse pantry

The first one is motivational and achievable…if you read about that post, you will probably want to organize your pantry immediately. The second pantry, probably not. You will look at it, likely think “That’s pretty” and go on about your business. I get that, because I do the same thing.

Here is an even more specific example. The exact reason that the first pantry post was so popular was this photo/idea –

wall spice rack out of drawer organizers

I needed spice storage but didn’t have a good place for it in the kitchen, so I added these mesh drawer organizers to the wall. They were the perfect size, worked great, and were crazy easy to install. Some website (BuzzFeed?) picked up this idea and featured it, and then once that happened a bunch of other websites included it in roundup posts. And that’s why this post is on the list.

Sidenote – I also remember calling this post the “Less Mess PANTY Reveal” and not catching it for a long time, until a reader finally pointed it out. Maybe that’s the real reason it got so many views…

Another frequent misspelling of mine was t-shit instead of t-shirt. Good times.

 

5. PENNY COUNTERTOP   (2012)

Out of all the projects on this blog, I think this one is still my favorite. It just looked cool, it held up well, and was such a unique feature right in the middle of our home. I’m not sure if it inspired other people to make this kind of countertop, but I think it falls under that “weirdly creative” category that attracts visitors and shares.

penny countertop

 

4. BUTCHER BLOCK COUNTERTOP, TWO YEARS LATER   (2013)

The original post about installing butcher block countertops? Almost no views. The update? Crazy popular. In fact, this post is still one of the top five most visited posts on my website every single month. I can’t say that for these other top posts, but this one answers a question that gets asked a lot on Google.

do butcher block countertops hold up well?

 

3. PAISLEY STENCILED TABLE   (2012)

This was my first blog post/project to take off instantly. I thought this table turned out great, and evidently, others thought so too. Not only was it an easy DIY, but it also produced something totally unique and customizable on what is probably the most common table in America.

This table led to all sorts of other stencil projects…I stenciled everything I could get my hands on for a while.

 

2. HOW TO REFINISH OUTDATED TILE – YES, I PAINTED MY SHOWER  (2013)

This one doesn’t surprise me at all, it was popular from the get-go. So popular that I wrote a follow-up post a year later about how it was holding up.

bathroom tile paint

 

 

1. PAPER BAG FLOOR   (2013)

None of the other top posts come even remotely close to this one. There is no competition, paper bag flooring wins by a mile.

popular post - paper bag floor

This was not an original idea, I just tried it and blogged about it. The project was so unique, creative, and CHEAP that it drew attention, and people shared it like crazy on Facebook. After it took off, my full-time job became answering e-mail questions about the flooring. I genuinely love helping readers and answering questions, but this was too much. That’s when I decided to write a whole series on paper bag flooring that answered every question imaginable.

Click the links below to learn more than you ever wanted to know about paper bag flooring.

Did I want to be known as the person that glues paper to her floor? No, not really. But here I am…paper floor girl. It is what it is.

I have so many projects that didn’t make the cut….here are a few of my favorites, in no particular order –

 

  • Faux-Leaded Glass – This project was so simple and turned out awesome, and I want to do it like 100 more times.
  • Southwestern Bedroom Reveal – I’ve always had a soft spot for this room, because it feels like the jumping-off point to truly finding my style. I still really like it today, which is something I can’t say about a lot of my old stuff.
  • RV Remodel – It genuinely turned out so pretty, and was fun to do (except for painting the cabinets, that part sucked).
  • Book Slings – Easy to make and super functional.
  • Reclaimed Wood Ceiling – This project was seriously cheap and added boatloads of warmth and character. If this is something you like, then just do it already.
  • Button Sign – I always liked how this turned out, plus it was fun to make. Also, I got to use pink.
  • Farmhouse Laundry Room and Mudroom – These two rooms were kinda the same room, and they both turned out great. I blame the brick floor.
  • Union Jack Coffee Table – An easy project that turned out well and could be used in so many different creative ways.

 

So now I want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite that wasn’t listed here? Did you try any of them? Do you have any requests for things you want to see in the future? Talk to me.

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36 Comments

  1. This brings back so many memories! I started reading your blog back in 2012ish, as a young 18 year old, dreaming of my own home and my own diy projects. You inspired me to do so much when I got married and we bought a house! I loved reading all your projects, especially the budget diy ones that looked way more expensive 😀. I also loved the ways you brought regular life/family into it too – it wasn’t just an instructables!

    I followed a few other blogs, read a lot of home diy ones at the time, but none have lasted the distance. Lots faded out within a year or two. I must admit I was slightly disappointed about the name change, but that’s just because of nostalgia, really hope it all works out well for you!

    Much love from Australia 🇦🇺

    1. This is the best comment, and the reason why I blog. Thank you for writing it and for sticking around for so long!

      I love the new blog name, but the old was perfect at the time and it was hard to say goodbye. I got super nostalic writing this post and looking back at all the things…the fun projects, how much I’ve learned, and how much things have changed. Today is Elijahs 13th birthday, and the old posts are riddled with the most adorable pictures of him toddling around and being all up in the action. He is the most amazing kid and I look forward to his teenage years, but I would love to go back and give that little guy a squeeze. Time flies.

  2. Enjoyed the walk thru!
    I remember them all and have sure enjoyed each
    post. Even when just stats… your honesty and humor make it enjoyable to read.

  3. Your butcher block post and first house kitchen reveal helped me map out how I wanted my kitchen. I went with walnut butcher block and Knoxville gray paint. I absolutely loved it. Your second kitchen made me regret not doing a sink like yours- it was on the list but I didn’t think it would deep enough.
    I am so glad you are back!

    1. I love reading this! Well not the sink part, but I get it. I almost returned that sink because it was crazy shallow…but I ended up loving it. This new house has a super deep sink and it holds so many dirty dishes. Too many.

  4. I loved, still love your blog! As you’ve said it seemed more popular a few years back and I saw a lot more posts. I even created a folder in my inbox to save all of your emails. I loved it because I like your style, I like your way of writing and your projects seemed like things anyone could do on budget. I got scared when they slowed down and didn’t see them as often. Keep writing on, even if it’s once in awhile.

    1. I can promise you that I will keep on writing! The other day (well a few months ago, same thing, haha) and made list of post ideas. I didn’t even try that hard, and there are over 80 on the list. Time to write (and me being able to focus, let’s be honest) is always the problem, not content. And I feel very special for having a folder in your inbox!

  5. My kids were little when I followed your blog, so I was trying to get things done with small kids around and used to marvel at how much you got done but you were real about it. I always liked the way you gave updates on your projects. I can’t believe that the paper bag floor was number one. I’m glad you’re back to blogging and look forward to your mid century house updates.

    1. Getting projects done with small kids is SO hard. And you know what? It still is with bigger kids. Different challanges, but still a juggle.

  6. I think I was deleting Wildfire for a while, not recognizing the switch. Then there you were, building a new life! Your creativity in the “old days” really spoke to me-the screen door on the pantry and hiding the brooms behind the curtains-that totally fit my style! You did YOUR thing and it was amazing. Looking forward to seeing what comes next!

  7. It is so crazy to me that some of these posts are that old because I remember reading them when you published them! So glad to have you back in this space again! ❤️

  8. Maybe you should have rebranded to “paper floor girl” instead 😂

    I love all of these posts! Between your blog and a couple others that are still being updated, I was motivated to remove popcorn ceiling several years ago along other things. I would not have been so eager to remodel our entire house last year/this year without blogs like yours where it’s easy to find and see big and small changes with their visual and functional impact. 🙌🏼

    1. This may sound weird, but I have always wanted to remove a popcorn ceiling. I’ve read posts about it, and they just spray the ceiling with water and scrape them off, and it looks SO satisfying. Was it really that easy, or was it a total pain in real life?

  9. I made the book slings for both of my daughters! It may have been the post that drew me to your blog (I honestly don’t remember!) But whatever post it was, once I found it I went back to the beginning and read all the way through, keeping current to this day! I love your posts. They feel like a friend telling me about her new house or project or whatever. I’m glad you’re back after the hiatus, name change and all!

  10. I think I’ve been following you for around 10 years (based on the dates of some of the posts you linked)!! My gosh how time flies. I don’t know if shiplap is still trendy or not, but I still see it occasionally and think yours in the old house’s dining room area looks leaps and bounds better than any other for some reason. And I still want to put a pantry door like that one in a house someday!! And I still love the blue you used on the lower cabinets in the old house and am still, after all these years, leaning towards that color whenever I do decide to paint my cabinets.

    1. Well, thank you! Shiplap may be on its way out, but that lower cabinet color is timeless. I recommended it to a client literally last week. Do it!

  11. I’ve been following since the penny counters. I was very disappointed when you stopped blogging for a while. I kept watching, wondering what happened. But I’m glad you’re back now. 😀

  12. Been following you for years! Built a house in 2013 and did a paper floor for a temporary solution. Ten years later, I still have it! Everyone comments on the uniqueness of it!

  13. Ah I remember them all. I started reading at some point in 2011 just before I got married. We were young and broke but my inner creative just couldn’t settle for a boring home. I loved how achievable and creative your stuff was. I loved the honest pace that doing stuff with kids is slow and hard but worth it. In some ways the name change is a bit sad but I also think it embraces your life changes but also your readers change. While I still love creativity and will make anything, I can also buy things I couldn’t 12 years ago.

    This has taken me back so much to those blogging nostalgia days. I miss them so much. Your blog and view along the way were some of my favourites.

    1. I love that thought, and I had the same one when shifting to the new website. Time vs. money is always the juggle when it comes to DIY, and I used to have way more time than money. Now, I have more money than time and am much more likely to buy something than make it, and readers like you that have been around for so long are most likely going through the same shift.

      Also, Kelly is the best. I still talk to her, and she has started posting on Instagram again recently if you want to keep up!

  14. I remember you posting every one of these. Long live old blogs. I miss them.
    I knew paper bag floors were going to #1 but I always loved the raised cabinets. I also loved when you posted about all your rocks in the yard. We do not have rocks in Florida, you have to buy them. I was always slightly jealous of your free rocks.

    1. Oh, the rocks. I wish I could give them to you! I’ve used all the rocks I possibly can in the landscaping so far, and still have a massive mountain leftover that I have to get hauled off. It looks like the surface of the moon over here, haha.

  15. I definitely did the book slings in my son’s nursery from your post! Been following since maybe 2012 :D I like your writing style.

  16. I found the blog when you did your laundry room in your first home. Then went back and read each post from the beginning. I think my favorite is still that reveal, or when you won the washer and dryer set. And I’m always looking for small laundry ideas. I’ve got more than closet, but less than a giant room. I’ve also sent so many people the link to the kitchen update in the first house because it was so practical and so realistic. The less mess pantry was also a fave. (I actually thought of it while decanting cereal this week because could I just put all the remaining bits of each cereal in one container and have it be a giant mix? Would anyone in my house actually be bothered?)

    So glad you’re back. Can’t wait to see how this house becomes a home.

  17. The (og) butcher block countertop was my gateway drug to your blog and I also never looked back! Of course, I was like 15 and had no business learning about how to install a butcher block countertop, and now at 25 I am…no closer to that opportunity lol. So excited to see updates on the new house!

  18. #10 was how I found your blog, was a huge inspiration for our own budget kitchen remodel and almost ten years later we still have the same kitchen and still love it. Thank you!!

  19. My favourite is the Farmhouse Laundry and Mudroom. Love the different surfaces – brick floor, breadboard, wall planks and the colour of green. Just gorgeous

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