Decor does more than express our style — it can also expand our waistlines. Brian Wansink, author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think," identifies common diet traps in our homes while design guru Christopher Lowell advises how to steer clear of them.

DINNERWARE

Problem: Portions have gotten bigger in restaurants and packaged food. The result: "Our expectations of what constitutes a proper serving increased in our homes," Wansink says. As did the size of our dishes — from a standard 9 inches to 11 or 12.

Solution: Focus on the tablescape. "Think tapas — many courses, but much smaller portions," Lowell says. "Go with individual ramekins, even sushi-style plates, long and shallow," to shrink portions.

COLORS

Problem: Bright, stimulating colors such as red or yellow can "increase the speed at which you eat," Wansink says. And "The faster you eat, the more calories you ingest." On the flip side, wood tones encourage us "to eat slower but longer."

Solution: Stay away from colors found in food — red, yellow gold, brown and green, all of which are popular right now. "They stimulate us in the wrong way," Lowell says. "Think in terms of a men's haberdashery: taupe, a warm flannel gray with white trim or a very pale blue. Those are all very calming."

ELECTRONICS

Problem: "Anything that distracts us from monitoring how much we're eating is bad," Wansink says. Television is a big culprit. "We mindlessly eat while we mindlessly watch TV."

Solution: Turn the screen into an aquarium. "It adds texture and mood and background — the architecture of the room versus entertainment that pulls you in," Lowell says.

LIGHTING

Problem: "People underestimate the amount of food they eat in the dark," Wansink says. "Dimmed rooms set a more relaxing tone" that prompts us to eat longer.

Solution: Add metallic-lined dark shades to your chandelier, Lowell says. "This will focus the light on the table and take the focus off the rest of the room, making you more aware of what you are eating."