wooden cabanas surrounded by yellow curtains as part of Maximalist's design for Shinesty
Continuing the party vibes, Maximalist constructed wooden cabanas at the arrival lounge, complete with moody, amber curtains and custom gold palm leaf chandeliers, which were repurposed from pendant lights in the former office.

March 20, 2023

Words: Lisa Di Venuta

Photography: Jessica Blackwell

Maximalist Designs the Shinesty Office to Keep the Party Going

For Denver-based apparel company Shinesty, irreverent, thematic ‘fits—think Day-Glo overalls, shamrock-printed suits, and star-spangled sundresses—are intrinsic to the brand’s identity. Founded by three college friends with a love for thrift shops and Burning Man, the e-commerce start-up caters to likeminded adults: millennials whose obsession with sartorial pageantry matches their spending power.

When it came time to design a headquarters for Shinesty’s growing employee base, founder and CEO Chris White reached out to local creative agency Maximalist. The aptly named firm, helmed by experiential designer Abigail Plantier, blends storytelling, insatiable curiosity, and bespoke aesthetics to amplify a client’s vision. For Shinesty, this meant transforming a traditional office into a destination, full of groovy art, functional spaces, and quirky objects to serve as living inspiration for employees working on new campaigns and product lines.

“We’ve curated an office space that embodies fun, and energizes the workplace in a playful but authentic way,” recalls Plantier. “The existing space didn’t leave much to be desired and was full of cubicles. Needless to say, it all had to go.”

The Shinesty Office in Denver Reflects Its Team’s Spirit

a green sofa and velvet armchairs mimic a '70s conversation pit in an apparel company's headquarters
A groovy, green sofa’s curved form paired with a velvet armchair mimic the intimate, mid-century aesthetic of a conversation pit in the lounge, which boasts views of Denver’s skyline and a custom neon sign by local artist Scott Young that reads, “stay weird.”

With that, Maximalist’s design team harnessed Shinesty’s self-expression via curated zones throughout the 5,200-square-foot headquarters, each with its own name and vibe: the Hot Tropic Conference Room features custom wallcoverings inspired by Shinesty’s wonky motifs, while the Pink Panther Room is actually a private nook for phone calls decked out in pink fuzzy upholstery.

Part Office Design, Part Boutique Hotel

Plantier’s background in hospitality design is evident, as the headquarters resembles a boutique hotel or funky residence more than an office. In the lounge, a conversation pit with a curvilinear sofa swathed in emerald velvet and a kiwi-colored shag carpet harken back to the glamorous 70s, and the kitchen encourages more than just water-cooler chats, with gold-leaf pendants, saffron-hued barstools, and appliances tucked behind a custom banana-themed freestanding feature wall.

While the new digs exude glitz and glam, the designers worked within a tight budget and thriftily salvaged elements from the previous space, customizing a chandelier out of old pendants and reupholstering chairs and stools. Plantier also sourced lockers and coffee tables from Facebook Marketplace and transformed existing cabinetry with a fresh coat of cinnamon-hued paint in the boardroom, a thoroughly sustainable redesign that nods to Shinesty’s roots as an online hub for tag-sale scores.

a purple conference room with a disco ball and mirrored coffee table
Dubbed “Studio 54 Conference Room,” Shinesty’s retro party continues in this space, featuring a disco ball, Joybird swivel lounge chairs and a mirrored coffee table.

“We approach design through the lens of the sensory experience,” says Plantier, “Connecting with people and making spaces not just usable, but memorable.” And Maximalist is in a unique position in the design industry as a woman-owned firm with an all-female staff. “We empower our team to take risks and push design boundaries,” affirms Plantier. “We approach design with meaning and balance, respect, and freedom of choice. Our passion shows in the result.”

Step Inside the Shinesty Office by Maximalist

wooden cabanas surrounded by yellow curtains as part of Maximalist's design for Shinesty
Continuing the party vibes, Maximalist constructed wooden cabanas at the arrival lounge, complete with moody, amber curtains and custom gold palm leaf chandeliers, which were repurposed from pendant lights in the former office.
an office breakroom with gold leaf pendant lights and matching yellow walls and chairs
Unlike a typical breakroom, the kitchen includes funky gold leaf Moxy pendants by Corbett Lighting.
a quiet area in the Shinesty office, dubbed "Pink Panther Room" for its all pink maximalist design
In the “Pink Panther Room,” Tom Dixon’s mirrored orb fixture reflects rosy hues.
a collaborative workspace at Shinesty with a blue and purple checkerboard rug
One of many collaborative workspaces at Shinesty HQ features a bar-height table and stools, reclaimed from the site.

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