Well-respected in the do-it-yourself (DIY) and woodworking communities for her elegant and useful furniture designs, Ana White easily sticks out from the rest of her colleagues. Her YouTube channel provides a wealth of free woodworking designs, thus generously enabling anyone to create their own furniture. Her material is meant to allow people at any level of expertise to construct attractive and useful objects for their homes, without requiring great knowledge of the craft. She is generally a go-to source for do-it-yourselfers, because of her affable demeanor and precise directions. Beyond her internet presence, she’s also collaborated with several companies to aid the spread of DIY culture, and remains a steadfast advocate.
What draws everyone in
Her channel is known across the niche audience as a veritable gold mine of DIY woodworking projects, with a broad spectrum of designs to fit varying degrees of expertise and need. From basic shelves and tables to more intricate pieces such as beds and outdoor furniture, the channel provides thorough tutorials on creating various types of furniture. Every video is painstakingly created to offer exact directions and allow for the most efficient guide for viewers to follow, and effectively finish their projects. The content stands out for being very simple to consume, as she typically makes it easy for viewers to copy her work by using reasonably priced materials and generally accessible instruments. Usually starting with a description of the topic, her videos feature an introduction of the various tools and materials required for the job, after which she guides viewers through every stage of the construction process, offering advice and techniques to guarantee a flawless and successful build.
Aside from just showing the audience how to craft a particular piece, Ana offers numerous ideas on personalizing the build, such as changing proportions, materials, and finishes, striving to inspire the viewers to alter her blueprints to fit their own need and taste. Some of her most dedicated subscribers follow through on all of these suggestions, which can result in highly intricate projects that she sometimes features on her channel and social media. Repurposing and redecorating are also massive themes on her channel, which offers videos on house renovation projects including building shelves, storage systems, and outdoor constructions. Viewers wishing to improve their living areas are especially appreciative of this aspect of the channel, often finding that last bit of inspiration required to transform a part of their home.
White’s videos are meticulously made to be fun and easy to follow, which is helped by her interesting demeanor and excellent communication style, coupled with the fact that female woodworkers are unconventionally rare in the niche. Often sharing personal tales and experiences, she always strives to provide her content with a relevant and genuine touch, and that seems to resonate deeply with the audience. She’s thus attracted a devoted following, and become a reliable authority in the DIY community, boasting almost 850,000 subscribers across 450 uploads, and nearly 100 million total video views.
Hitting the nail on the head
Ana’s by-far most popular channel upload is entitled “Open Concept Modern Tiny House with Elevator Bed #anawhite”, having garnered over 26 million views since being posted on 30 January 2017. Its popularity hinges on the less-explored idea of adding an elevator bed to small living quarters, thereby emphasizing the efficient use of space with flexible furniture. She takes the viewers through the complete design and construction process of this contemporary project, spending a great deal of time on the high point of the concept, which can be elevated to the ceiling to relieve floor space during the day and dropped for nighttime sleeping.
She starts by discussing the idea behind the compact house and the need for making the best possible use of limited living quarters. She then goes over the building construction, first displaying the frame and then the elevator bed mechanism installation, providing comprehensive instructions and guidance on how to get a professional finish throughout the video, thereby allowing different levels of DIYers to approach the project.
The content ultimately offers a walkthrough of the finished project, stressing its open-concept design and modern look. Ana identifies the numerous components of the home, including the diverse furnishings, storage spaces, and overall design.
What makes her so special?
Ana White hails from the remote Alaskan wilderness, which is in and of itself a foray into DIY living. Her initial steps in woodworking began out of necessity, when she and her husband, Jacob, built their own home close to her birthplace in the wilderness. White started designing and building her own furniture since she was trying to afford her new house. This pragmatic method of problem-solving evolved rapidly into a passion for do-it-yourself crafts and woodworking.
Her early creations were straightforward and purpose-specific, but as she developed her ability, she started to investigate more difficult designs to further her expertise. Her attitude towards woodworking was greatly influenced by her previous experience in architecture and design, allowing for a unique combination that has taken her to the fame she enjoys today.
Subscribe ⬇️ https://t.co/mPfrGhcqPH#anawhite #subscribe #youtube pic.twitter.com/ni5hoAoMcS
— Ana White (@anawhitediy) May 7, 2024
Ana launched her YouTube channel in 2009, hoping to inform a wider audience about her DIY woodworking passion, and help out those who needed assistance. Her main issue at the outset, and the reason she took up the craft, was being unable to find modern, simple woodworking plans. She thus came up with her designs, and began sharing online free of charge, which quickly gained traction from like-minded home decorators.
Her influence extends beyond her channel as well, as she’s become a best-selling author and an HGTV host. Her work’s also been featured in prominent publications such as People Magazine, Country Living, and Family Handyman, and she’s worked closely with major brands including Home Depot, Lowes, Target, Ryobi, Skill Power Tools, Kreg Jig, Minwax, and Varathane.
Taking care of the various obligations that come with living in a rural environment, alongside her husband and their three children, Grace, Hayes and Everly, Ana does her best to balance her professional and personal life. Aside from being a dedicated mother, the YouTube star also strives to maintain an environmentally conscious approach towards what she does, preferring softwoods over hardwoods because they are fast-renewing and locally grown, which makes them a much more sustainable choice. This mindset is also practical, seeing as hardwoods normally can’t be grown locally, and require worldwide shipping, coming at a higher cost overall.
Ana’s everyday tool arsenal includes a miter saw, drill, pocket hole jig, brad nailer, and occasionally a table saw and circular saw. These tools are essential for many of her projects, and for those seeking more, she provides free resources, compiling comprehensive lists of tools. All of that said, it’s easy to understand how White was able to find her own spot under the sun in the highly competitive online content creator environment, thanks to unwavering dedication to all that she values.
What is her net worth?
Reputable sources have estimated Ana White’s net worth at more than $250,000, thanks to a well-developed variety of income sources, ranging from video views to book sales. Social Blade puts Ana’s yearly earnings from ad revenue alone at up to $18,000, but that’s not her main livelihood stream.
She owns a detailed business website offering a multitude of services, including free design plans and even cooking recipes, alongside a free furniture design app, allowing anyone to change the measurements within the webpage, and have their optimal project design printed and emailed to them. As if that weren’t enough, Ana owns another website, featuring what she describes as ‘the first and only global marketplace for premium project plans.’ These builds come at a cost, in a catalogue made in collaboration with another DIY woodworker – Jen Woodhouse.
Finally, Ana is the proud author of “The Handbuilt Home: 34 Simple Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects for Every Room”, which was released in October 2012.