Local photographer Ralph Smith is an expert at the difficult art of shootingfood as this gallery shows.

Don't let toys take over your home.

Take back over your house before it's too late.

Oriental rugs — and all those colorful, complicated patterns — can hide a lot ofkid sins.

Remember, he's not the boss of you. Say no.

The wall decals now include sophisticated art looks.

It's not just about sports decals anymore.

Funky tea towels can revitalize a window.

Wicker chairs are a great accessory.

Building your own herb garden is easier than you'd think.

Those herbs can go on a homemade pizza.

Or in a basil martini.

From Sherwin-Williams' ColorMix 2011, "Restless Nomad." Colors wander all overthe palette, from dusky darks, to hot vibrant pinks and reds, to earthyfood-influenced hues that evoke eggplants and cabbages.

The name of this color: Rice Paddy

ColorMix 2011, "Purely Refined." Pared down is the new upscale, and its colorpalette demonstrates similar restraint, filled with understated neutrals, yetwith nuances and undertones that interact in intriguing ways.

ColorMix 2011, "Gentle Medley," with hues innocent without being sweet; flirty,yet not feminine. They reflect not just a yearning for youthful innocence andgentler times, but also a refreshing honesty and lack of pretension that arethoroughly modern.

ColorMix 2011, "Bold Intervention." Neon-bright, graffiti-bold and digitallyenhanced to 3-D luminosity, they’re the colors of technology, of avant-garde artand of the entrepreneurial spirit.