Who: René, founder of a website that matches web programmers with prospective clients

What: CBC prop warehouse-turned-loft-space at Queen and Parliament

1 Nope, René doesn’t have a cornfield growing in his apartment — this is a custom-designed sculpture made for each of the units in the building. “It looks like worms sticking up in the air.”

2 More pointy things, please! This long sword belonged to René’s grandfather, who was a high-ranking officer in the French army. The smaller dagger is from Morocco, and is over 100 years old. “It’s used for cutting up animals and stuff.”

3 The coffee table is made from a slab of South African slate. René bought it several years ago from Jensen’s, a Scandinavian furniture store in his hometown of London, Ontario.

4 The long oak countertop came with the apartment, and comes in handy for the inevitable swarm to the kitchen during house parties.

5 “That’s me and my sister skydiving. It was her birthday wish when she turned 22. I was relaxed the whole time; I was never freaking out. Even the fall was relaxing. I just enjoyed the view.”

6 The candles were a birthday gift from René’s mother. “They’re fancy, but I immediately made use of them because I don’t believe in using things just for display.”

7 René solved the problem of an awkward counter height with these brown leather hydraulic barstools. Now even his puniest friends can reach their dinner.

8 On a trip to Laos last May, René found this sword at a local store selling knives and shovels to farmers. “I went to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, and I’d been warned Laos was the poorest of the three. I was worried it would be very depressing, but it was actually the happiest, nicest place of all.”

9 René’s friend brought him this didgeridoo after a trip to Australia. “I joked and told him to bring one back, because it would be really big to lug around, and he actually did it.”