The bar has been set high with the prestigious legal drama MATLOCK, the sets matching and elevating the storyline and acting, and inspiring it as well. Season 2 has continued to further establish the homes, private spaces and offices, widening our view of each with impeccable taste, and then delving into intricate realistic swing sets for each episode.
Thus, we are more than happy to share some insider perspective from Set Decorator Tim Stepeck SDSA just before the Season finale this week!
Enjoy!
Karen Burg
Editor
SET DECOR: Please tell us about your collaboration with Production Designer Adam Rowe and Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman...
Set Decorator Tim Stepeck SDSA: “Adam is wonderfully collaborative and communicative, a real leader of the department. He makes sure every move we make is pushing the story forward and emphasizing the vision that our showrunner, Jennie Snyder Urman, is trying to convey. We achieve that together by building boards episode by episode; we combine his architectural finishes with our set dressing, and then pitch it to Jennie and the director as a single, cohesive plan for the set. That shared language is what keeps the show feeling as intentional, yet natural, as it does.”
Jacobson Moore — stage build or location?
“Jacobson Moore is entirely a stage build on Stage 8 at Paramount. The pilot was originally shot at the Ernst & Young offices in Toronto, and that location set the groundwork for a lot of what these sets look like today. With direction from Jennie and Adam, the offices of Jacobson Moore came to fruition with a curated look that was initially established by Peggy Casey SDSA for the first half of the first season, and I had the honor of continuing it on into the second half and the second season.”
Junior Partner Olympia Lawrence’s office at Jacobson Moore. Olympia [Skye P . Marshall] and one of her assistants, first year Associate Sarah [Leah Lewis]. Stage 8. Photo: Courtesy of CBS ©2025. All Rights Reserved.
“The stairway is a full build, purely designed as an addition to the Jacobson Moore offices. There's a lot of walking and talking on this show; with all the dialogue in motion, Adam wanted to create numerous stairwells, hallways, and transitional spaces where the actors could carry pages of dialogue across real architectural distance.”
“That flexibility is essential, especially with the repurposing of certain spaces. In our world, this firm may have more than one floor, certainly more than two conference rooms. The script often calls for more spaces than a single stage can supply; on a week-by-week basis, we're turning spaces over and reinventing them while staying within the aesthetic and palette of Jacobson Moore.”
Olympia [Skye P . Marshall] mid-interrogation in the Divided Conference Room at Jacobson Moore. Glass wall sculpture from Gil & Roy. Stage 8 build. Photo: Courtesy of CBS ©2025.
Permanent / standing sets...
“Stage 8 holds our Jacobson Moore offices: the main Conference room/meeting room, Olympia's office, Senior's office, the Library, Coffee bar, Julian's old office and his new office, the You-Three's, the Elevator lobby, the Lobby/reception, the Stairway, and the “Cry patio.”
Stage 9 holds the Nest — the home belonging to Olympia and her kids — along with the Courtroom, hallways, and new to this season, an attorney/client room.”
“The Courtroom is constantly changing; it's more or less episodic, almost a swing set in that it gets a makeover every episode.”
Courtroom [Ep. 202]. Matty Matlock [Kathy Bates] is addressing the jury. The courtroom lives on Stage 9 and gets a redress every episode — almost a swing set. BG: Olympia Lawrence [Skye P. Marshall] seated at the counsel table. Image courtesy of CBS. All Rights Reserved.
Changes from Season 1 to Season 2...
“Coming into Season 2, there weren't a lot of major changes at Jacobson Moore in regard to aesthetics and the groundwork that was originally laid. A plot point within an episode required a new office setup for Julian, moving from a larger suite to his demoted office. Even though Julian is still a Jacobson Moore employee, he was placed on an entirely different floor, which required new office furniture, a fully stocked copy area, and the world's smallest conference room.”
“On Stage 9, the Nest got a similar treatment to that of Jacobson Moore. There were subtle shifts to reflect the ever-evolving family dynamic. Olympia's kids, Court and Kat, are growing up, and we chose to highlight that by adding a wall-to-wall desk and hutch in the family room, as well as updating their artwork on the fridge and the toys in the kitchen. We dressed a sailboat into the hutch as a nod to Julian's sailing interests; possibly an activity that father and son could share together.”
“The big new builds for Season 2 were Olympia's home office and the Kingston residence.”
“The Kingston residence was by far the larger build, and it's really the centerpiece of the season. We had filmed it on location in Season 1, but with the way the story developed (and with the blurring of Madeline Kingston and Matty Matlock), it not only aided us in spending more time on this set and developing the story, but also allowed viewers a deeper look into who Madeline Kingston is, as well as her base for plotting and the building of her crime boards. The only sets that previously existed were the kitchen, the hallway, their bedroom and her office. Everything else — the foyer, the music room, the entryway, and what we call the Bay window hallway — was a new build on Stage 28.”
Bay window hallway of the Kingston Residence. Stage built on Paramount Stage 28. Drapery by Universal Drapery; fixtures from Warner Bros. Photo: Courtesy of CBS. All Rights Reserved.
Kingston Residence, Music room. Joey [Niko Nicotera] and Matty [Kathy Bates] in this quietly luxurious oval-shaped room. Piano rented from Hollywood Piano. Sofa reupholstered in fabric from Clarke & Clarke. Florals: Flower Art. Stage 28 build. Courtesy of CBS. All Rights Reserved.
Kingston Residence. Oval music room, through the doorway. Matty [Kathy Bates],
Edwin Kingston [Sam Anderson], and Joey [Niko Nicotera] discuss the estranged
father's future relationship with their grandson, Alfie. Courtesy of CBS. All Rights Reserved.
“The Kingston residence had to read as understated old money; the kind of wealth that doesn't announce itself.”
“Olympia's Nest office is almost an extension of her office at Jacobson Moore, but a bit softer. It's her home office...it's where she tries to get a bit of peace, where she can merely be herself. We achieved that by adding plants and incorporating some of her children's artwork on the walls, along with a softer floral rug; we then countered all of that with some urban art to keep her edge intact.”
Olympia's Nest. Her home office — a softer extension of her Jacobson Moore space. Her desk chair is a Humanscale Smart Conference chair via Harold Randall of Product Co-Stars. New build for Season 2, Stage 9. Courtesy of CBS©2025.. All Rights Reserved.
Olympia's Nest. Olympia [Skye P . Marshall] laying back after a long day of court, raising her two children, and some corporate espionage. Stage 9. Courtesy of CBS. All Rights Reserved.
“Another change this season was our exterior 450 5th St Building, which houses the offices of Jacobson Moore. The initial exterior was filmed in Canada, but after the pilot, we used the exterior of the AON Building in Downtown Los Angeles. To streamline the process and allow the exterior of the building to be more accessible for us to shoot, the Art Department built a portion of it on the Paramount backlot. By dressing the space as a cafe courtyard, we were able to bring the exterior of 450 5th St to us.”
“For backlot and exterior locations, set decoration is often what sells the illusion. Our exteriors are filmed on the Paramount backlot, and the details carry an enormous amount of the storytelling load. Things as simple as a black and silver fire hydrant, a rolling subway map kiosk, NY garbage cans, or making sure we have the right colored balls on top of our subway set, to convey the right environment of New York for the scene.”
“We had 20 bikes from LCW Props painted blue and graphic-matched to the city bikes you see on the streets of New York, and had the construction department build the charging stations.”
[Editor’s note: For photos of these and more, click on the SHOW MORE PHOTOS button below!]
“The hot dog carts carried the branding of Martin Rosol, an East Coast, family-run company, and Sabrett iconic blue and yellow vender cart umbrellas. It's all in service of turning Los Angeles into a city that, for the viewer, has to read unmistakably as New York.”
Florals
“The florals are a through-line for me on this show. We felt it was important to use real flowers on the show. Aside from how wonderful they look on camera, it's a subtle way to define time changes between episodes and seasons (summer, winter, fall within the world of the show).”
“For instance, in the main conference room, the orange florals in those rectangular vessels are doing a lot of work. That shot of warm color is what keeps the room from going cold and corporate. The orange is a nice tie-in to the copper wall in the conference room, and to the copper theme running throughout the law firm.”
Jacobson Moore Main Conference Room. Tensions rise as Olympia’s team works on a case for a tech startup that’s had trade secrets stolen. Pictured (L-R): Leah Lewis, David Del Rio, Kathy Bates, Skye P. Marshall and guest Christopher Gorham. Photo by Michael Yarish/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
“The low round arrangements on the desks and tables throughout, as well as the reception counter arrangements, are deliberately understated; they're there to humanize the space, to suggest that real people work here, without distracting from performance. Our florists, Rolando and Matthew at Flower Art, do beautiful work for us week in and week out.”
Is there something that usually sets the direction for you for the look or feel of a set?
“It all starts with the script and the characters. Those are the things that dictate what they feel should be. Along with wardrobe, hair and make-up, set decoration and art direction are the first glimpses into who a character is. I love to have my sets layered and lived in: the right books or albums on a shelf, the desk dressing on the Judge's bench. Things that may not always be seen, but give the actor motivation. The Tattoo parlor is a perfect example of how much detail goes into every set.”
[Editor’s note: For fun photos of the fabulous Tattoo parlor, click on the SHOW MORE PHOTOS button below!]
“After breaking down the script, with the help of my team —Stevan Cablayan, our Coordinator, and our three Buyers: Armen Khechoumian, Jarri Schwartz Locas, and Jennifer Horner— we start to piece together what truly speaks to the character and what makes sense in the space. It's a lot of editing, and a lot of working with Adam on the boards that get sent up for approval before we physically dress the set.”
“Adam, being the very organized and collaborative designer that he is, always provides us with reference images and color palettes to point us in the right direction. We're always in conversation, which helps confirm that we're on the same page. As many people in my position know, things can change quickly.”
Favorite set(s)...
“It is so difficult to pick a favorite set. It was an absolute joy piecing together the Kingston residence, especially the oval music room and recovering the sofa in a floral-patterned velvet from Clarke & Clarke.”
“Within the backstory of the Kingstons, we would like to believe that they did not bring much with them from San Francisco. Those treasured family photos of their daughter, Ellie, and grandson, Alfie, on top of the antique baby grand are some of the few items they would have packed with them.”
Kingston Residence. Oval music room, night. Sofa reupholstered in fabric from Clarke
& Clarke. Piano rented from Hollywood Piano. Stage 28 build. Courtesy of CBS. All Rights Reserved.
“And then there are the oddball sets that pop up...the Tattoo parlor, for instance...that are so layered and such a testament to the wackiness of my set dressers, lead by Shane Reed, and how much fun we all have on set."
[Editor’s note: Don’t miss the fun! Check out the photos by clicking on the SHOW MORE PHOTOS button below!]
“But I'd have to say my favorite set from the season was Senior's penthouse home study. It was a swing set shot in a historical mansion, and we brought in just the right touch of eclectic design. It told the story of who Senior really is. A glimpse behind closed doors, not the Senior Partner you see at Jacobson Moore.”
“It was pure fun finding pieces that were unique and out of the box to help shape Senior's backstory: someone with Texas roots, money, and power, but also someone who likes to have fun and enjoys a good time. To lean into that side of him, we had a custom-built derby horse race game made for the room, exactly the kind of thing Senior would have commissioned for himself.”
Senior's penthouse home study. A layered, eclectic set that reveals Senior as someone with Texas roots, money, and power — but also someone who enjoys a good time. Note the custom-built derby horse race game on the left. Photo courtesy of CBS ©2025. All Rights Reserved.
Senior's penthouse home study. Shot on location in a historical mansion. Western art, Native American rugs, crystal chandeliers and a gigantic spinning globe...Photo courtesy of CBS ©2025. All Rights Reserved.
We have the sophistication of Matty's mansion, Olympia's Nest, Senior’s penthouse study, but then the cringe of Ron Hanson's office!
“That contrast was so enjoyable to build this season. Ron Hanson's office was certainly cringeworthy and quirky, but extremely fun. He's an “accident” attorney who takes himself very seriously, and that's juxtaposed by the chaos of his cluttered office, which adds to the comedy of the scene. It was another opportunity for us to entirely layer the set with clues as to who this character is, and truly create an environment where the actors could play and have as much fun as we did in piecing it together.”
[Editor’s note: For an over-the-top sleazy lawyer’s office, check out the photos by clicking on the SHOW MORE PHOTOS button below!]
Please tell us more about two amazing sets...the Odessa Fish Market...
“There were two parts to the Odessa market. In that episode, there was an exterior produce market/alley, and then the interior fish market. The exterior produce alley was quite a feat...another walk-and-talk, where two actors had to move through a stretch of it while carrying a scene. We brought in a working Ukrainian food truck to block part of the alley, along with a couple of gaylord containers of
Watermelon...and many, many pounds of cabbage! By the end of that shoot day, you could see numerous crew members and half of Paramount walking home with watermelons.”
“For the interior of the Odessa Fish Market, we leaned hard into the real thing: the labels, the scales, the posters. We filled the refrigerators with various pickles, borscht, soup, condiments, and the like. The majority of the store was filled with products we sourced from local Ukrainian and Middle Eastern grocery stores. We wanted to be as authentic as possible, so we also connected with the Ukrainian Cultural Center to make sure we were accurately representing the culture through the merchandise and foods on display.”
“It's a critical and emotional moment within the episode, and we wanted to tug at the heartstrings of our audience. So we built a bit of a shrine behind the counter that tells the story of the shop owner and his family. We used photos, newspaper clippings, and maps to project where he and his family may have come from, and how the events within the episode have affected him.”
[Editor’s note: Don’t miss this real-life immersion, just click on the SHOW MORE PHOTOS button below!]
...and the Tattoo parlor...
“The Tattoo shop is all about layered ephemera; flash sheets, stickers, the personal history of an artist built up over years on one wall. We pulled layers of trace paper from numerous references, and the lights we used as sources above each station were selfie stick lights, which we kept seeing in real tattoo shop references as well.”
“Of course, a true challenge with dressing a Tattoo parlor set is the clearance of original tattoo artwork. Although we were able to rent a great deal of photos and flash sheets from our vendors — such as Hollywood Studio Gallery, Hollywood Cinema Arts, Lennie Marvin's Prop Heaven, and RC Vintage — as well as generate a few of our own with the help of our graphic designers (Meagan and Sarah), there was a need and request for additional authentic art to fill our walls and the tattoo stations. With the help of Stevan, our Set Dec Dept Coordinator, we were able to acquire more cleared tattoo art from local tattoo artists.”
“We went through a lot of different ideas as to what type of chair Matty would be sitting in, looking at various colors and styles, and finally landed on an awesome barber chair.”
[Editor’s note: Sweet! Check it out by clicking on the SHOW MORE PHOTOS button below!]
And finally, please tell us about the advantages of being an LA-based Set Decorator...
“LA is still the deepest bench in the world for what we do. The prop houses, the vendors, the artisans, the florists, the upholsterers, the scenic painters; everything is within driving distance, and the people running those businesses know television.”
“You can have a conversation, a new note in the morning, and a truck at the stage reflecting your changes in a few short hours or less. For a show like ours (and many others with a quick turnaround) that infrastructure is not a luxury, it's the entire reason you can make something this detailed on a network schedule.”
“That said, it's impossible to talk about working in Los Angeles right now without acknowledging the current state of the industry. Many of our prop houses are closing down, and it's having a domino effect. Not just on the way we work internally, but economically.”
“These are businesses that have been around for years...their roots are so deep within the city's soil. The bonds we build with our vendors, and the way they tirelessly work to ensure we receive the best care and service, are everything. The descriptions of the world written on the page and the vision we hope to achieve simply would not come to fruition without our vendors and their staff. They are an integral part of our department and our industry.”
“Our go-to prop houses this season included Universal Studios Property, Alpha Props, Warner Bros. Property, Omega Cinema Props, RC Vintage, Art Pic, Hollywood Studio Gallery, Advanced Liquidators, and so many more.”
Editor’s note:
Set Decorator Tim Stepeck SDSA would like to acknowledge the following...
Prop houses and entertainment industry support businesses, especially the SDSA Business Members:
Advanced Liquidators | AIR Designs | Alpha Companies Motion Picture Rentals | Art Pic| EC Props | Flower Art LA | Green Set | Hollywood Piano | Hollywood Studio Gallery | Hollywood Cinema Arts | LCW Props | Objects | Omega Cinema Props | RC Vintage | Universal Drapery | Universal Studios Property | Warner Bros. Property...
Also: Best Frame and Gil & Roy
Crew Acknowledgments:
Set Decoration Department: Leadman: Shane Reed | Gang Boss: Nick Stanton | Set Dressers: John Pollard, Burton Sanders, David Dunn, John Bradshaw, Nick Zepatos | On Set Dressers: JP Gagen, Niles Padilla | Set Dec Buyers: Armen Khechoumian, Jarri Schwartz Locas, Jennifer Horner | Set Dec Coordinator: Stevan Cablayan
Production: Executive Producer: Jennie Snyder Urman + Executive Producers: Eric Christian Olsen, Kat Coiro, Nicki Renna | Co-Executive Producers: Jennifer Booth, Gina Lamar | Unit Production Manager: Derek Johansen
Art Dept: Co-Producer/Production Designer: Adam Rowe | Art Director: Carol Uraneck | Assistant Art Directors: Harshita Reddy, Irena Jacobs | Graphic Designers: Meagan Grimley, Sarah Gonzalez | Set Designer: Aaron Jackson
Construction: Construction Coordinator: Marcel Worch | Paint dept: Rob Cook
Propmaster: Melody Miller
Costume Designer: Hannah Jacobs
...And from all of us, thank you to Tim and his teams, and the entire Hollywood and Los Angeles Film & Television community
P.S. Don't forget the SHOW MORE PHOTOS button just below, where you'll see more of the high style of the law & banking worlds, plus Matty in various settings, including Ron Hanson's office, the Odessa Fish Market and the Tattoo parlor!
