The most sought-after interior stylists pull back the meticulously steamed curtain to share how they work—and which fruits they’re tired of placing in bowls.

Even for creative people like designers and architects, what interior stylists do and how they work can be a little mysterious. How do they know precisely what a room is missing? How do they make ordinary bookshelves seem so alluring? And why is it so difficult to imitate their work when left to our own devices? Yes, some people are born with an eye, but they’ve also carefully honed their expertise over decades—and now they’re divulging their trade secrets.

PREPRODUCTION PROCESS