Production designer Shepherd Frankel specifically set out to create distinctly different environments for the three employees and their respective bosses ' homes and offices . Nick and Harken 's workplace is the " Comnidyne " bullpen , which was designed to " enhance the discomfort and anxiety of lower @-@ level employees clustered in the center of the room where every movement is monitored by the boss from his corner office . " The design team met with financial strategists and management companies to learn about the architecture of their office layouts to visually represent the experience of starting from a low @-@ ranking position in a cubicle and aspiring to an office . Costume designer Carol Ramsey worked with Frankel and set decorator Jan Pascale to match Harken 's suit to that of the surrounding " cold grey and blue " color palette of his office . Harken 's home was described as " equally lacking in warmth " as the office but more lavishly decorated and " for show " , including an intentionally oversized portrait of him with his " trophy wife " .