Best Of Greenhouse Studio 2020 [Top 10 Posts]

To say 2020 was an unprecedented year is an understatement. 2020 was also year one for Greenhouse Studio, having just celebrated it’s one year anniversary.

A lot has happened over the course of one year, and it was fun to look back to see what was most popular. I had no idea what would resonate with readers and what wouldn’t. I had never blogged before, and I was seriously winging it for at least a couple quarters. Mostly just writing what I felt I needed to get off my chest both plant and design-wise.

It was gratifying to see that many of my posts did connect with people, and it made me glad that I gave myself space to organically write what I wanted instead of trying to be more strategic and methodical, which would be an easy default for me, but I think would have been stifling too. (I’ve been accused of over-thinking on an occasion or two in the past…)

So without further ado, here’s the Greenhouse Studio 2020 top10!

Greenhouse Studio’s Best of 2020 top 10 blog posts. Greenhouse Studio home decor, indoor plant, and garden blog has had a great first year. It’s time to review the design and plant posts that were most popular with readers!

10 | Outdoor Living Trends - Fire

This post surprised me by staying strong well into December. I expected it to fall off a cliff traffic-wise as soon as Labor Day passed. I think it’s continued popularity was all about the year that was 2020.

People were looking for safe ways to spend time and entertain outdoors. If people can stay warm by gathering ‘round the fire when the weather turns chilly, they will linger longer, so I think designing fire into people’s backyard oases was a priority for many last year.

Gorgeous contemporary concrete fire table and sofa sectional by Los Angeles based exterior designer Scott Shrader. Source | Veranda — *Gorgeous contemporary concrete fire table and sofa sectional by Los Angeles based exterior designer* *Scott Shrader. Source |* *Veranda*

9 | Stock Tank Pool DIY

I’ll be honest, I wrote this on a whim after seeing a NY Times article about it and became fascinated. I think it’s a fantastic solution for having a spot to dip in and cool off while avoiding the enormous expense and hassle of an in-ground pool.

Like #10, once fall arrived, I thought this post’s popularity would evaporate as quickly as a pool’s water level on a 100 degree day, but it has endured. My best guess is our friends from the Southern Hemisphere are just as taken with the charm of stock tank pools as we are!

Emerson Grey Designs Bri Moysa’s stock tank pool looks right at home in the corner on her neutral-schemed patio. Source | @brimoysa via Instagram. — *Emerson Grey Designs* *Bri Moysa’s stock tank pool looks right at home in the corner on her neutral-schemed patio. Source |* *@brimoysa* *via Instagram.*

8 | How To Pick Paint Colors (while maintaining your sanity!)

This was a post I just had to get off my chest. I basically have paint-picking PTSD from years ago, and after swearing this time would be different when I went to paint my stairwell and office at the beginning of last year, (it wasn’t), I just had to write about it.

If you have any notions of painting, I recommend you take a look. I go through my whole paint selection process - mistakes and all, give a lot of practical advice, and link to paint palettes and designers who are paint experts!

How to pick paint colors while maintaining your sanity. If you foresee having to pick paint colors in the near future, I recommend you take a look. I go through my whole paint selection process - mistakes and all, have a lot of practical advice, and…

7 | How To Care For Air Plants

Its seems everybody loves their air plants and wants to know how to do right by them. I have a lot of expertise here and wrote it all down. It you’re curious about the Tillandsia genus, check it out. I count some of them amongst the easiest, most forgiving house plants out there.

Tillandsia xerographica on a side table. How To Care For Air Plants (Light, Watering, Fertilizing & Displaying). What kind of water for air plants? How to fertilize air plants? What kind of light do air plants need? Greenhouse Studio’s post on a…

6 | How To Propagate And Repot Agave Pups

I delve into the nitty gritty of how to divide and multiply your agaves. I also get into a discussion about calculating my ROI on expensive design purchases like my specimen agave. (Basically self-justifying my plant-spending! Who else can relate?!)

Once again, seasonality didn’t seem to matter that much. Agaves aren’t really indoor succulents, so I’m sticking with my theory about Southern Hemi readers and their opposite seasons.

*Show-stopping giant Agave salmianas at Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma, CA.*

5 | How To Design A Room Like An Interior Designer

So this was another one where I just had to get it out! I documented my entire design process to help out others who might be at a loss on how to even start trying to design a space. It can be truly overwhelming.

I think of this 9 step post as my “design manifesto.” Watch out HGTV and Arch Digest! I want everyone who aspires to take on a design project to be successful!

Beautiful kitchen by my favorite DeVOL Kitchens. — *Beautiful kitchen by my favorite* *DeVOL Kitchens*.

4 | DIY Trellis For Climbing Indoor Plants

This was a post I thought most readers might view as pretty random. Using sticks to create a “natural” trellis? I figured most people don’t care that much about how their trellis looks, but I do, so I wrote it anyway. I was wrong, and this one ended up being super popular, including a major home media outlet that’s about to include it in their own article.

Hoya pubicalyx ‘Splash’ with a DIY natural branch trellis for support sitting on a buffet surrounded by plants and botanical illustrations. Photo by Greenhouse Studios.

3 | How To Branch Your Fiddle Leaf Figs

Like air plants, if you’re into the house plant scene at all, (and so many of you are, especially this last year) you know just how popular fiddle leaf figs are. Left to their own devices, FLFs tend to grow upright and single-trunked, so this is all about how to get them to branch into beautiful trees.

Fiddle Leaf Figs naturally grow upright with minimal branching. Learn techniques including notching and pruning to make your fiddle leaf fig grow like a tree with multiple branches at the top.

2 | How To Make A Mood Board For Interior Design

I decided to write this post early last year because I had started my home office remodel (fortuitous timing), so a mood board was in order to help me plan. Great things have come out of it, including a project I’m wrapping up and very proud of, and will share with you soon!

A mood board for the Greenhouse Studio home office created with Adobe Illustrator. — *A mood board for the Greenhouse Studio home office created with* Adobe Illustrator.

1 | Propagating Fiddle Leaf Figs

This is definitely an instance of last but not least. Again, indoor plants were a 2020 mega trend, especially fiddle leaf figs. This post sat quietly until December when the Google gods bumped it to a top spot, and by Christmas, it had eclipsed all my other posts in popularity and then some.

I’m really happy I’ve been able to help out so many in learning how to propagate their FLFs, because in my book, the only thing better than one FLF is two or more FLFs!

*Propagation is a fun, easy, and inexpensive way to multiply your fiddle leaf fig supply!*

The Best Is Yet To Come

I’m confident 2021will be a much better year than 2020 was for us, and I want to thank each and every one of you for helping Greenhouse Studio have such a great launch year. This year I’ll be bringing you even more actionable ideas and inspo for making your home a haven. So let’s toast to bringing the outdoors in and the indoors out, while having fun doing it! And as always, if you have any requests for 2021, please leave me a comment below!