I tried hiding my speakers in the basement, but I had to turn them up really loud to even hear them upstairs. So they're out in the open now. Everything else is behind doors in a cabinet. I like to look at it but find it a bit distracting when I'm listening to music, and overall a bit cluttered looking (as in my system pics which are way outdated). My wife, on the other hand, definitely does not like to look at it and I do consider that since we do share the house together. I don't find any of it particularly appealing to look at...except for my SET amps, which I do enjoy looking at. The other stuff just looks like so many metal boxes. I get as much pleasure staring at a microwave oven.