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Tim Johnson's den in Toronto, Ont., in this photo taken Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013.Kevin Van Paassen/The Globe and Mail

Interior designer Tim Johnson moved to Toronto from his native Rochester, N.Y., in 1994 to be with his partner, lawyer Douglas Rienzo, with whom he now shares a 3,500-square-foot apartment in a condo building on King Street West. The two-bedroom unit was a bare box when the pair bought it a year ago. Johnson transformed it into a home, customizing it from top to bottom. He added a home office to the original floor plan and renovated existing rooms, including the 9-by-12-foot den, where he likes to relax after the workweek. "It's primarily used on weekends because we're busy guys," says the 49-year-old proprietor of his own firm, Timothy Johnson Design. "This is where we chill out, watch movies and read."

The chair and ottoman

"Both are from studio b, from the Walter Knoll collection. I had the ottoman re-covered in a custom-dyed cowhide in a deep eggplant."

The lamp

"We had the base made, but we found the shade in a junk store on Queen Street West. It has travelled with us for years."

The sectional

"I designed this piece and had it made by Louis Interiors in Toronto. It's upholstered with a deep-chocolate wool fabric, which I coveted after first spying it at Y&Co Carpet & Textile."

The mirror

"This is from Elte. It's a prismatic mirror. Some of the mirrors are in shades of navy; some are in shades of amber. It's got a retro feel that I love; I also love that it reflects different parts of the room."

The coffee table

"We found it at the side of the road in High Park. We loved the shape and the style and had it refinished. It's a vintage piece."

The Hermès blanket

"This was in a box that I had in storage for years. It was just waiting for the perfect home and this is it."

The bookcase

"It's rosewood and was built by Miro Bezdicka, whose Mievaa Custom Woodwork Designs company I use all the time for my clients. I custom-designed the bookcase around a beloved painting by Ontario artist Ken Mamchure that dates back to the 1960s. I love the vivid colours. I collect paintings from this period."

The carpet

"This is a custom wool and linen carpet, also from Elte. I think it lifts the room. It balances all the dark shades and brings the room alive."

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