We are just one month away from the big reveal of this year’s REAL SIMPLE Home , which means we’re putting on the finishing touches over at One Park Row in Lower Manhattan right now. We’re busy styling shelves , adding planters to corners, and zhuzhing up coffee tables . In between, we stopped to get pointers from some of the people calling the shots.

You may be tempted to fill up all your shelves and surfaces right away, but San Francisco–based designer Noz Nozawa begs you to wait. “Accessories are personal. They’re things that are gifted or handed down or picked up on your travels,” she says. “Take your time and only bring home stuff you really like.”

Get Creative

While we love to load up our shelves with books, books, and more books, it’s important to incorporate other items,

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