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The living room of jewelry designer Myles Mindham, February 25, 2013.Galit Rodan/The Globe and Mail

Toronto jeweller Myles Mindham knows how to make things sparkle. When he isn't designing brilliant coloured-stone cocktail rings and diamond-encrusted drop earrings for a discerning clientele at his Mindham Fine Jewellery in the city's posh Yorkville district, the University of Western Ontario graduate keeps himself busy polishing up the 1929 residence he has shared for the past 19 years with partner Stephen Gilles, director of development for the Royal Conservatory of Music. A decade ago, he embarked on a full-scale renovation of the Tudor-style home, transforming it from dowdy to art deco by adding emphasis to the home's inherent angularity. The living room, which received the lion's share of the changes, is his favourite room, thanks in part to a wall of windows behind the couch. "The late-afternoon sun streams through the windows in summer and winter," he says, "making the room sparkle like a jewel."

The sofa

"This was left to me by my dear friend Gladys, who passed away. She lived in New York and we had it shipped from Madison Avenue and 85th Street to Toronto, where we recovered it in a mod fabric I had bought from the renowned Thai-silk dealer Jim Thompson while on a gem-buying trip to Thailand."

The branch

We found this in our garden and loved it so much we decided to mount it on the wall as a piece of art. Everyone who comes into the room comments on it. It's our own creation, a bit of homegrown design for the home."

The chairs

"I found the pair at Elte in Toronto. They're made by Hickory in the U.S. but are not vintage. They are contemporary. I like them because of their simple, clean lines. They're very deco and handsome."

The painting

"This is a Philip Craig, from his garden series. It's very serene and welcoming. It lends the room a touch of wistfulness."

The crystal

"This quartz crystal is a Chinese bi disk. I got it through a specimen dealer at the international gems and minerals show in Tucson. It represents the circle of life – and so far so good. It's working for me."

The carpet

This is from studio b in Toronto. It's a silk Tibetan carpet. Again, I love the clean, geometric lines and the neutral colour, which has a bit of a shine to it like burnished metal."

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