diff --git a/styles/components/_portfolio_layout.scss b/styles/components/_portfolio_layout.scss
index 0cfca353..f7008d77 100644
--- a/styles/components/_portfolio_layout.scss
+++ b/styles/components/_portfolio_layout.scss
@@ -85,10 +85,6 @@
   }
 }
 
-.portfolio-content {
-  margin: 6 * $gap $gap 0 $gap;
-}
-
 @mixin subheading {
   color: $color-gray-dark;
   padding: $gap 0;
@@ -98,6 +94,23 @@
   font-weight: bold;
 }
 
+.portfolio-content {
+  margin: 6 * $gap $gap 0 $gap;
+
+  .application-content {
+    .subheading {
+      @include subheading;
+    }
+
+    .panel {
+      padding: $gap / 2 0;
+      box-shadow: 0 6px 18px 0 rgba(144,164,183,0.3);
+      border-top: none;
+      border-bottom: none;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 .portfolio-applications {
   .portfolio-applications__header {
     margin-bottom: 4 * $gap;
diff --git a/templates/fragments/edit_application_form.html b/templates/fragments/edit_application_form.html
index c9206b1b..ef5dd455 100644
--- a/templates/fragments/edit_application_form.html
+++ b/templates/fragments/edit_application_form.html
@@ -1,12 +1,8 @@
 {% from "components/text_input.html" import TextInput %}
 
 {{ form.csrf_token }}
-<div class="panel">
-  <div class="panel__content">
-    <p>
-      {{ "fragments.edit_application_form.explain" | translate }}
-    </p>
-    {{ TextInput(form.name) }}
-    {{ TextInput(form.description, paragraph=True) }}
-  </div>
-</div>
+<p>
+  {{ "fragments.edit_application_form.explain" | translate }}
+</p>
+{{ TextInput(form.name) }}
+{{ TextInput(form.description, paragraph=True) }}
diff --git a/templates/portfolios/applications/edit.html b/templates/portfolios/applications/edit.html
index 40108d3a..9b92e443 100644
--- a/templates/portfolios/applications/edit.html
+++ b/templates/portfolios/applications/edit.html
@@ -6,33 +6,39 @@
 
 {% block application_content %}
 
-  <form method="POST" action="{{ url_for('portfolios.edit_application', portfolio_id=portfolio.id, application_id=application.id) }}">
+  <div class='subheading'>Application Settings</div>
 
-    {% include "fragments/edit_application_form.html" %}
+  <div class="panel">
+    <div class="panel__content">
+      <form method="POST" action="{{ url_for('portfolios.edit_application', portfolio_id=portfolio.id, application_id=application.id) }}">
 
-    <div class="block-list application-list-item">
-      <header class="block-list__header block-list__header--grow">
-        <h2 class="block-list__title">Application Environments</h2>
-        <p>
-          Each environment created within an application is an enclave of cloud resources that is logically separated from each other for increased security.
-        </p>
-      </header>
+        {% include "fragments/edit_application_form.html" %}
 
-      <ul>
-        {% for environment in application.environments %}
-          <li class="block-list__item application-edit__env-list-item">
-            <div class="usa-input">
-              <label>Environment Name</label>
-              <input type="text" value="{{ environment.name }}" readonly />
-            </div>
-          </li>
-        {% endfor %}
-      </ul>
+        <div class="block-list application-list-item">
+          <header class="block-list__header block-list__header--grow">
+            <h2 class="block-list__title">Application Environments</h2>
+            <p>
+              Each environment created within an application is an enclave of cloud resources that is logically separated from each other for increased security.
+            </p>
+          </header>
+
+          <ul>
+            {% for environment in application.environments %}
+              <li class="block-list__item application-edit__env-list-item">
+                <div class="usa-input">
+                  <label>Environment Name</label>
+                  <input type="text" value="{{ environment.name }}" readonly />
+                </div>
+              </li>
+            {% endfor %}
+          </ul>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="action-group">
+          <button class="usa-button usa-button-primary" tabindex="0" type="submit">Update Application</button>
+        </div>
+      </form>
     </div>
-
-    <div class="action-group">
-      <button class="usa-button usa-button-primary" tabindex="0" type="submit">Update Application</button>
-    </div>
-  </form>
+  </div>
 
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/templates/portfolios/applications/new.html b/templates/portfolios/applications/new.html
index 5cc62197..b3c21709 100644
--- a/templates/portfolios/applications/new.html
+++ b/templates/portfolios/applications/new.html
@@ -12,65 +12,71 @@
   {% set modalName = "newApplicationConfirmation" %}
   {% include "fragments/flash.html" %}
 
-  <new-application inline-template v-bind:initial-data='{{ form.data|tojson }}' modal-name='{{ modalName }}'>
-    <form method="POST" action="{{ url_for('portfolios.create_application', portfolio_id=portfolio.id) }}" v-on:submit="handleSubmit">
+  <div class="panel">
+    <div class="panel__content">
 
-      {% call Modal(name=modalName, dismissable=False) %}
-        <h1>Create application !{ name }</h1>
+      <new-application inline-template v-bind:initial-data='{{ form.data|tojson }}' modal-name='{{ modalName }}'>
+        <form method="POST" action="{{ url_for('portfolios.create_application', portfolio_id=portfolio.id) }}" v-on:submit="handleSubmit">
 
-        <p>
-        When you click <em>Create Application</em>, the environments
-        <span v-for="(environment, index) in environments">
-          <strong>!{environment.name}</strong><template v-if="index < (environments.length - 1)">, </template>
-        </span>
-        will be created as individual cloud resource groups under <strong>!{ name }</strong> application.
-        </p>
+          {% call Modal(name=modalName, dismissable=False) %}
+            <h1>Create application !{ name }</h1>
 
-        <div class='action-group'>
-          <button autofocus type='submit' class='action-group__action usa-button' tabindex='0'>Create Application</button>
-          <button type='button' v-on:click="handleCancelSubmit" class='icon-link action-group__action' tabindex='0'>Cancel</button>
-        </div>
-      {% endcall %}
+            <p>
+            When you click <em>Create Application</em>, the environments
+            <span v-for="(environment, index) in environments">
+              <strong>!{environment.name}</strong><template v-if="index < (environments.length - 1)">, </template>
+            </span>
+            will be created as individual cloud resource groups under <strong>!{ name }</strong> application.
+            </p>
 
-      {% include "fragments/edit_application_form.html" %}
-
-      <div> {# this extra div prevents this bug: https://www.pivotaltracker.com/story/show/160768940 #}
-        <div v-cloak v-for="title in errors" :key="title">
-          {{ Alert(message=None, level="error", vue_template=True) }}
-        </div>
-      </div>
-
-      <div class="block-list application-list-item">
-        <header class="block-list__header block-list__header--grow">
-          <h2 class="block-list__title">Application Environments</h2>
-          <p>
-            Each environment created within an application is an enclave of cloud resources that is logically separated from each other for increased security.
-          </p>
-        </header>
-
-        <ul>
-          <li v-for="(environment, i) in environments" class="block-list__item application-edit__env-list-item">
-            <div class="usa-input">
-              <label :for="'environment_names-' + i">Environment Name</label>
-              <input type="text" :id="'environment_names-' + i" v-model="environment.name" placeholder="e.g. Development, Staging, Production"/>
-              <input type="hidden" :name="'environment_names-' + i" v-model="environment.name"/>
+            <div class='action-group'>
+              <button autofocus type='submit' class='action-group__action usa-button' tabindex='0'>Create Application</button>
+              <button type='button' v-on:click="handleCancelSubmit" class='icon-link action-group__action' tabindex='0'>Cancel</button>
             </div>
-            <button v-on:click="removeEnvironment(i)" v-if="environments.length > 1" type="button" class='application-edit__env-list-item__remover'>
-              {{ Icon('trash') }}
-              <span>Remove</span>
-            </button>
-          </li>
-        </ul>
+          {% endcall %}
 
-        <div class="block-list__footer">
-          <button v-on:click="addEnvironment" class="icon-link" tabindex="0" type="button">Add another environment</button>
-        </div>
-      </div>
+          {% include "fragments/edit_application_form.html" %}
 
-      <div class="action-group">
-        <button class="usa-button usa-button-primary" tabindex="0" type="submit">Create Application</button>
-      </div>
-    </form>
-  </new-application>
+          <div> {# this extra div prevents this bug: https://www.pivotaltracker.com/story/show/160768940 #}
+            <div v-cloak v-for="title in errors" :key="title">
+              {{ Alert(message=None, level="error", vue_template=True) }}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div class="block-list application-list-item">
+            <header class="block-list__header block-list__header--grow">
+              <h2 class="block-list__title">Application Environments</h2>
+              <p>
+                Each environment created within an application is an enclave of cloud resources that is logically separated from each other for increased security.
+              </p>
+            </header>
+
+            <ul>
+              <li v-for="(environment, i) in environments" class="block-list__item application-edit__env-list-item">
+                <div class="usa-input">
+                  <label :for="'environment_names-' + i">Environment Name</label>
+                  <input type="text" :id="'environment_names-' + i" v-model="environment.name" placeholder="e.g. Development, Staging, Production"/>
+                  <input type="hidden" :name="'environment_names-' + i" v-model="environment.name"/>
+                </div>
+                <button v-on:click="removeEnvironment(i)" v-if="environments.length > 1" type="button" class='application-edit__env-list-item__remover'>
+                  {{ Icon('trash') }}
+                  <span>Remove</span>
+                </button>
+              </li>
+            </ul>
+
+            <div class="block-list__footer">
+              <button v-on:click="addEnvironment" class="icon-link" tabindex="0" type="button">Add another environment</button>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div class="action-group">
+            <button class="usa-button usa-button-primary" tabindex="0" type="submit">Create Application</button>
+          </div>
+        </form>
+      </new-application>
+
+    </div>
+  </div>
 
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/translations.yaml b/translations.yaml
index dfaf1773..3353aee4 100644
--- a/translations.yaml
+++ b/translations.yaml
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ forms:
     environment_names_label: Environment Name
     environment_names_required_validation_message: Provide at least one environment name.
     environment_names_unique_validation_message: Environment names must be unique.
-    name_label: Application Name
+    name_label: Name
   task_order:
     portfolio_name_label: Organization Portfolio Name
     portfolio_name_description: The name of your office or organization. You can add multiple applications to your portfolio. Your task orders are used to pay for these applications and their environments.
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ forms:
 fragments:
   edit_application_form:
     existing_application_title: 'Edit {application_name} application'
-    explain: 'AT-AT allows you to organize your portfolio into multiple applications, each of which may have environments.'
+    explain: 'AT-AT allows you to create multiple applications within a portfolio. Each application can then be broken down into its own customizable environments.'
     new_application_title: Add a new application
   edit_user_form:
     date_last_training_tooltip: When was the last time you completed the IA training? <br> Information Assurance (IA) training is an important step in cyber awareness.