Space Crusaders

Office props: Propaganda Inc. founders David Tyreman and Keith Walton, both 35, have taken the "bored" out of boardroom. Say goodbye to swivel chairs and formal meeting tables. For these entrepreneurs, whose company supplies props for department stores, restaurants and retailers such as Banana Republic and Nautica, it's all about beanbag chairs, fabric walls, a cinematic pull-down screen and the ultimate office essential: a faceted disco ball. "The idea is, you walk in the door and feel relaxed," says Tyreman of the company's San Francisco headquarters. "We want people to feel sort of giddy, excited."

With core values like "Certainty, Fun and Respect," it's no surprise Tyreman and Walton don't confine their 17 employees to cubicles. To illustrate the company's playful attitude, the entrepreneurs encouraged their staff to create a mural. Using an under-the-sea theme, the staff painted fish on the walls and superimposed their faces. "We're not an uptight company," explains Tyreman. "You get a lot more from people when they feel relaxed and safe."