A Story of Modern Heritage: 
The Ariat Office

Ariat built its reputation by challenging expectations. Since introducing athletic performance technology to Western footwear more than 30 years ago, the company has grown into a global brand serving ranchers, riders, construction professionals, and world-class athletes. Its new office needed to reflect that same evolution — celebrating the grit and craftsmanship of its Western heritage while embracing the modern aesthetic of a forward-thinking global company.

For Farrah Crubaugh, Senior Designer at studioNorth Architecture, the project resonated on a personal level. Raised on a farm in Kansas, Crubaugh understood Ariat's brand ethos long before she became one of the designers shaping the new workplace. Founded on the idea that boots could perform like athletic footwear, Ariat has spent three decades redefining the category. Crubaugh describes the brand simply: "It's Nike meets Western wear." 

Rather than relying on predictable Western imagery, studioNorth interpreted Ariat's heritage through contemporary materials and subtle details. Colors inspired by Secretariat — the legendary racehorse that inspired the company's name — appear throughout the office, while refined references to saddle stitching and equestrian craftsmanship reinforce the brand's roots. The result is a layered experience that feels authentic and consistent.

Crubaugh says, "We always start with a story. It helps guide every decision throughout the project. It creates a hierarchy and ultimately makes everything feel cohesive."

Once the design language was established, selecting the right materials was a critical next step. The office sits alongside a massive distribution center where heavy daily use is simply part of life. Traditional wood veneer offered the warmth the design team wanted, but not the longevity.

“I've used traditional wood before,” Crubaugh says. “But it wouldn't hold up in this type of environment. Over time you start seeing worn edges and damage. In a distribution center, things get beat up.”

Wilsonart HPL was the clear solution. After more than 26 years in commercial interiors, Crubaugh has watched laminate evolve dramatically. That evolution became more apparent when Wilsonart introduced its Plain Sliced Bookmatch (PB) woodgrains. Unlike conventional patterns, the PB collection features the industry's first no-repeat woodgrain designs with expansive 12-inch-wide leaves that re-create the appearance of traditional veneer layouts.

The result is remarkable continuity across large-scale applications and architectural millwork.

White Oak PB Natural became the project's defining material, creating warmth from the moment employees enter the space. Its rich grain pattern and subtle color variation elevate the reception desk, employee restroom cabinetry, break room cabinetry, and utility storage. Throughout the office, the natural white oak reinforces a contemporary interpretation of Western craftsmanship.

White Oak PB Spice introduces a moodier, sophisticated counterpoint across additional cabinetry in employee spaces. The deeper chocolate tones add visual depth while maintaining a cohesive relationship with the lighter white oak palette, allowing the two woodgrains to work together as one curated material story.

Near the entrance connecting the warehouse and office, employee cubbies presented a familiar challenge. During an earlier Ariat project, storage areas had experienced chipped edges and visible wear as employees repeatedly loaded lunches, backpacks, and personal belongings into the lockers throughout the day.

Rather than repeating the same detail, the team at studioNorth reimagined the entire assembly. The cubby interiors feature White Oak PB Natural HPL to maintain continuity with the surrounding

millwork, but the exposed framework is completely built with Wilsonart Compact Laminate.

Engineered specifically for high-impact applications, Compact Laminate delivers exceptional durability for lockers, shelving, cabinetry, and specialty furniture without sacrificing design quality. The simple black solid is sleek and modern, creating a functional focal point that doesn’t overpower nearby design elements.

Aesthetics and performance weren’t the only priorities guiding material selection. Sustainability also played an important role as Ariat pursued LEED® Silver certification for the project, which reflects the company's broader commitment to responsible design and operations.

Choosing Wilsonart HPL and Compact Laminate helped support those goals as surfaces designed with both longevity and environmental responsibility in mind. Beyond long-term performance that prevents waste and material replacements, Wilsonart HPL is engineered with an average of 26% post-consumer recycled content — more than twice the amount in other leading laminate brands.

Wilsonart's portfolio allowed the design team to address all of these priorities without compromising the project's vision. By pairing high-performing engineered surfaces with a coordinated palette across the workplace, studioNorth created an office that balances style, durability, and sustainability in one cohesive material solution.

Crubaugh says, “Wilsonart is a one-stop shop. We can get all of the surfaces we need, and more importantly, we have great representatives who care about supporting us.”