If safe mode is OK, then the problem is NOT hardware/memory, etc - but is almost guaranteed to be a software problem, and likely some non-Apple software that you have installed.
You have NOT said that you have already installed additional software.
But, of course, you already have done that, as you had already reinstalled MS Office - plus, I'm guessing here, a bunch of others.
Your GOAL is to have a clean system, which means install the OS X system, on a newly erased hard drive. Make sure that the system updates are installed, run Software Update until no updates are available - and check for your icons then.
Please note that you should absolutely not install additional software (such as MS Office

) or restore apps or your own files/pictures/music from a backup, or through any other method, until you get this sorted out.
finally - you should tell us exactly which Mac model you are using... the model identifier in the System Information/hardware will be great!
Thanx!