What are your suggestions for an inside Herb Garden ...

I'm in a small apartment and I have no light most of the day. The only way I can open up any light to my kitchen area at all is to open up my entire living area and let everyone see what I have in there. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to set up an herb garden inside the house that I could use to also help decorate and make the place smell nice? I love the smell of fresh herbs too. :) I tried putting them outside on my small patio and the only thing that happened was stinkin' ants dug so much dirt out of the plant and knocked it over and have been going to down to eat it. That's the mint, I din't think they'd go so nuts over the mint at all. hahahah Do herbs do good sitting up on shelves and stuff too? And does anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep the ants away? I have a small patio that's about 6 x 4 and it has a storage closet along with 3 screened in windows. There's a fan out there but when I turn it on it scares me to death 'cause it rocks back and forth so much. I just got some herbs this weekend... I got the following:

Thyme
Italian Parsley
Flat Leaf Parsley
Sage
Lemon Sage
Culinary Sage
Sweet Basil
Purple Basil
Rosemary

And a couple others not sure what all I picked up. It was all half price so I just grabbed some. :) And my Dad is going to give me some chives. I looooove fresh chives!