The reason of the Hard Reject is the quality of the design. We tried to ask the Reviewers why they already approved the design but they still do hard-reject. We got no answer.
After 3 Hard Rejected times, we have no idea to improve the design anymore. We and the designer of this template have worked together, but the theme is still gotten the Hard Rejected.
The only big change we did is the header, where we do show the menu and move the first module down. Is this the reason the theme got hard-rejected?
I liked the design, although there is unsufficient attention to details. With a blogging theme, your details must be perfect. Also as @CocoBasic mentionned, similarities with other themes don’t help.
Also, you design is full of spacing and alignment issues, based on Envato reviewers standards. Therefore, the theme misses that unique touch that gives this premium feeling. You should maybe make significant changes and get a real personality for your theme. Maybe then you can resubmit and stand a chance. Good luck. Thanks.
If you have made any WordPress theme base on any approve PSD or Template design, so it’s not necessary that your WP theme approve because WordPress Standard is different from others.
After all your PSD design and WordPress theme design different not the same, if you have to convert any approve design to WordPress design, I think that you create totally replicate approval design not different so that increases your chances to approval.