diff --git a/artiq/dashboard/experiments.py b/artiq/dashboard/experiments.py
index 460cbd357..e8ad88ebc 100644
--- a/artiq/dashboard/experiments.py
+++ b/artiq/dashboard/experiments.py
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class _ArgumentEditor(QtWidgets.QTreeWidget):
         self.setHorizontalScrollMode(self.ScrollPerPixel)
         self.setVerticalScrollMode(self.ScrollPerPixel)
 
+        self.setStyleSheet("QTreeWidget {background: " +
+                           self.palette().midlight().color().name() + " ;}")
+
         self.viewport().installEventFilter(_WheelFilter(self.viewport()))
 
         self._groups = dict()
@@ -60,16 +63,28 @@ class _ArgumentEditor(QtWidgets.QTreeWidget):
         if not arguments:
             self.addTopLevelItem(QtWidgets.QTreeWidgetItem(["No arguments"]))
 
+        gradient = QtGui.QLinearGradient(
+            0, 0, 0, QtGui.QFontMetrics(self.font()).lineSpacing()*2.5)
+        gradient.setColorAt(0, self.palette().base().color())
+        gradient.setColorAt(1, self.palette().midlight().color())
         for name, argument in arguments.items():
             entry = argty_to_entry[argument["desc"]["ty"]](argument)
             widget_item = QtWidgets.QTreeWidgetItem([name])
             self._arg_to_entry_widgetitem[name] = entry, widget_item
 
+            for col in range(3):
+                widget_item.setBackground(col, gradient)
+            font = widget_item.font(0)
+            font.setBold(True)
+            widget_item.setFont(0, font)
+
             if argument["group"] is None:
                 self.addTopLevelItem(widget_item)
             else:
                 self._get_group(argument["group"]).addChild(widget_item)
-            self.setItemWidget(widget_item, 1, entry)
+            fix_layout = LayoutWidget()
+            fix_layout.addWidget(entry)
+            self.setItemWidget(widget_item, 1, fix_layout)
             recompute_argument = QtWidgets.QToolButton()
             recompute_argument.setToolTip("Re-run the experiment's build "
                                           "method and take the default value")
@@ -123,12 +138,12 @@ class _ArgumentEditor(QtWidgets.QTreeWidget):
         if name in self._groups:
             return self._groups[name]
         group = QtWidgets.QTreeWidgetItem([name])
-        for c in 0, 1:
-            group.setBackground(c, QtGui.QBrush(QtGui.QColor(100, 100, 100)))
-            group.setForeground(c, QtGui.QBrush(QtGui.QColor(220, 220, 255)))
-            font = group.font(c)
+        for col in range(3):
+            group.setBackground(col, self.palette().mid())
+            group.setForeground(col, self.palette().brightText())
+            font = group.font(col)
             font.setBold(True)
-            group.setFont(c, font)
+            group.setFont(col, font)
         self.addTopLevelItem(group)
         self._groups[name] = group
         return group
@@ -185,6 +200,7 @@ class _ExperimentDock(QtWidgets.QMdiSubWindow):
 
     def __init__(self, manager, expurl):
         QtWidgets.QMdiSubWindow.__init__(self)
+        self.resize(800, 600)
         self.setWindowTitle(expurl)
         self.setWindowIcon(QtWidgets.QApplication.style().standardIcon(
             QtWidgets.QStyle.SP_FileDialogContentsView))