Laminate casegoods can still look like wood.  Or, they can be a solid or patterned color.  Or they can be a comination of any two.  Laminates enable us to select from myriad of colors and finishes in order to enhance the aesthetic of the design.  Laminates can also be used in combination with wood edgebanding to allow for more design choices as well as comfort for the user.  There are two types of laminate that are most typical.  High pressure plastic laminate (HPL) such as but not limited to Formica, Nevamar or Pionite ,is more durable and more expensive but gives us the biggest variety of colors, patterns and woodgrains to choose from.  The other is Thermofused laminate (TFL).  This is by far, less expensive and a bit less durable.  The finishes and colors are limited.

Most wood office furniture is really "veneer".  This is a thin (but not too thin) slice of real wood fused to the high density particle board under structure.  This provides substantial cost savings and the reduction of warpage on the large surfaces.  Most of the midrange and higher quality manufacturers offer solid wood drawer fronts and edge banding.  Wood desks are definitely warmer and richer than their laminate counterparts, can be custom finished and can be re-finished.  The edgebanding can be routed or moulded in a large variety of designs and can vary in size (thickness and depth).  Most "traditional" style office furniture is wood.  The up-scale manufacturers also offer inlay, diamond, reverse diamond and other types of grain matching.  As a rule, plan to spend from 3 to 5 times the price of laminate furniture.

This is where a designer can have some fun.  Other materials for the worksurface of some office furniture include, but are not limited to:
Granite or Marble 
 (Typically used for conference tables or reception desks     and usually in conjunction with wood.)

Glass tops are a great way to enhance the look of your office.  There are so many thicknesses, tints, treatments and edges available, the combinations are almost unlimited.