Best TOH Insider Moments of 2018 1 × VIP at the 2018 Idea House in Rhode Island VIP at the 2018 Idea House in Rhode Island Phil W. of Rego Park, NY, brought his son Greg with him to this Insider-only event. The pharmacist, who also works as a wedding photographer, also snagged this photo op with TOH host Kevin O'Connor, Roger, Richard, and Tommy. See more from this event here. 2 × Getting Inspired at the Idea House Getting Inspired at the Idea House Insider Carl G. and his sister Mary, who made the trip from Detroit, Michigan, were thrilled to meet…

Love the price and functionality of Ikea kitchen components but not the cabinet front choices? An array of new companies is offering custom cabinet fronts to pair with Ikea’s kitchen systems. “Ikea cabinets are like building blocks,” says Finnish company A.S. Helsingö. “The quality is solid,” adds John McDonald, founder of SemiHandmade. “And we especially love their price; even with SemiHandmade doors, you’ll easily save 30 to 40 percent on the cost of a typical custom kitchen.” With the bones of a kitchen from Ikea (who, by the way, source all hardware, hinges, and drawer slides from reputable company Blum) and customized fronts from…

When it comes mops, I have a hate-hate relationship. Either I struggle to wield the heft of rope mops or find myself searching in vain for matching replacement heads for sponge mops. Plus, both models are really hard to clean. I often feel as though I’m just spreading the dirt around. Finally, for dust bunnies under the bed, I’ve long been searching for an alternative to the widely used Swiffer, with its plastic parts and expensive non-eco-friendly disposable cloths. Enter the Cuban mop. Its genius lies in the simplicity of its design—no bells and whistles, just two sticks that screw…

For those of us in the cold, here are 12 snow-covered exteriors from some of our favorite projects to keep us inspired through the winter months ahead. Above: A 19th-century house in Härnösand, Sweden, renovated by Sofia Nyman of Skälsö; see more at A Darkly Romantic House in Sweden by Skälsö Architects. Above: A 1971 Aspen ski chalet renovated by Oppenheim Architecture from A Wabi-Sabi Ski Chalet in Aspen, Colorado. Above: London architect Jonathan Tuckey overhauled a 17th-century timber-frame chalet in Andermatt, Switzerland. For more, see Swish Chalet: An Alpine Remodel by Jonathan Tuckey. Above: An off-the-grid alpine cabin on the north end…

Caroline Feiffer is a Danish brand designer (recently she worked with Frederik Bille Brahe on Atelier September and Apollo Bar) who thinks a lot about space. She lives with her husband, Steffan, a woodworker, on the top floor of a 1737 townhouse on the Frederiksholms Kanal in old Copenhagen. The flat is located in a narrow, 860-square-foot sloped attic space that Caroline and Steffan renovated by hand. They replaced the floors with bleached pine, painted the walls and beams tonal white, remodeled the kitchen, and sectioned off rooms with Danish, French, and Italian antiques (resourcefully sourced or inherited). Join us for a…

Best of the 2018 Idea House 1 × Gorgeous Flared Eaves Gorgeous Flared Eaves Photo by Talia Sweenor “The level of craftsmanship really gets your attention at this house,” says TOH host Kevin O’Connor, who was particularly taken with the swooping roofline. “That curve took extra effort, and it’s a beautiful flared detail.” ROOF: DaVinci Roofscapes SHINGLES: SBC Cedar 3 × Detail-filled Garage 5 × Staycation-worthy Plunge Pool Staycation-worthy Plunge Pool Photo by Nat Rea This 7x13-foot pre-cast plunge pool was delivered in one piece, dropped into a 4-foot hole, and then faced with stone veneer and a bluestone ledge. With a built-in…