You need to close a strike tag I think.

I generally think hidden is the classiest option, and there are some great setups I've seen- A friend of mine would store his rockband and wiimote accessories in a really great looking storage ottoman and it was perfect.

Then again, I also have friends who have embraced and owned the geekery, and mounted their rockband guitars on their walls with real guitar hanging acccessories, and if you can pull that off, more power to you.

I take issue with your use of 'laissez-faire' to describe your boyfriend's philosophy -- rather, I would say that your approach is 'minimalist,' while his is 'functionalist.'

Most home theater tech is not designed to be concealed. Doing so properly requires considering ventilation and infrared visibility, among other things. There's nothing wrong with trying to reduce visual clutter, but if you have to leave a door on a cabinet open to get your cable box remote to work, then you're doing it wrong.

Personally? I strike a balance. I'm in the middle of a renovation at the moment, but when I'm done, I'll have an open rack for some components -- specifically, those that produce a lot of heat (like amps) or need discs put in them -- and closed cabinetry for items like DVRs where interacting with the front panel isn't necessary. Wiimotes live in a box when they're not in use, but my Harmony remote's charge cradle lives on an end table.

I prefer my Television, DVD player, etc. out in the open. At a former apartment, my television was on a pedestal.

I love movies, my ideal home cinema set up would be show off, instead of hide-away. The screen would be the center... and I don't think there should be much clutter around it to distract the eye from the film you are watching.

So whatever set up that will put all focus on screen. Even create an illusion the screen is bigger than it really is..

If it's junk hide it, if it's nice stuff show it!