Looking at it from the other side

[Marc v E]

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/1065867/how-do-i-hide-these-ugly-speakers

This is just hillarious. And giving insight what goes on in people who only care for easthetics.


Some remarks that stood out for me:

Push them in the corner.
Can't you just put them closer together next to the tv stand?
There's nothing you can do about those audiophiles; you just have to endure them.

 

[wadude]

That is a fun link!
It is a pretty ugly room.
Smaller speakers won’t help.

 

[Marc v E]

What strikes me is that all that what is advised is what Kef does.
The bass is tuned for the speakers to be close to the wall. The cabinets smooth, polished and in colours that match interiors well and even the speaker stands look nice.

I'm pretty sure Kef not only conducted proper research in what sound people like, but also what easthetics spouses care for.

 

[Blumlein 88]

In another article there they are very happy with the bookshelf speakers. But look one is vertical and one is horizontal.

Now I do like this idea for labeling cords.

 

[Marc v E]

In another article there they are very happy with the bookshelf speakers. But look one is vertical and one is horizontal.
View attachment 413538

Now I do like this idea for labeling cords.
View attachment 413539

I think I get it. It's a bit too much form over function for my taste but I get it. I would even like the decor if I lived there.
The only things I would add is those B&O speakers I just posted in the most beautiful speaker thread, or coaxials between books on a shelve (maybe even genelecs hiding behind acoustically transparent cloth) and make the tv swivel down for viewing.

 

[DanielT]

That is a fun link!
It is a pretty ugly room.
Smaller speakers won’t help.

Exactly. New sofa, painting the walls (possibly new wallpaper) and ceiling, new furnishings, new lighting and so on to begin with.

That because what you said about ugly I think was spot on. Damn that looked depressing:

I know the taste is divided and so on but still.

If the speakers are to be kept, consider perhaps painting them white at a later stage? It depends on how it will be in the room after it has been fixed.

She might need a visit? Starting at 1:16 into the video:

 

[Waxx]

I see this a lot, people don't like to see the the speakers, and more and more rely on build in wall speakers that sound very bad (and are also visible). Some come to me and others to ask what to get best for in wall speakers, or design some for them that sound decent. In these days of instaram-imago being very important, they make their living room like an exhibition, and a pair (or more) of big speakers often don't fit in their asthetics. Even airpods and similar smartspeakes are to much.

It's also that a lot of speakers on the market (i'm not talkin about the big budget speakers, more the mainstream stuff) are very ugly plastic or glossy painted mdf boxes. While the trend in interior design is more natural materials (natural stone, light coloured wood, (loam) plaster, ...) and a lighter and softer color schemes with "earthy colours". Not many speakers in the mainstream market follow that trend. They are mostly in glossy white or black, with a very plastic feel. And people don't like that anymore. Looks is everything now, and sound quality is secondary for most people. Real wood (not mdf or plywood) is getting back popular for speakers pure for asthetic reasons, but it need to be light coloured wood, not dark brown coloured.

 

[Soniclife]

The speakers are the least ugly thing in that room.

We should probably have a sensible discussion about how to balance asthetics between the visual and the sonic demands, it comes up all the time. I found just having a proper lengthy conversation with her let us both understand what's really important to both of us, and the problem largely evaporated after that.

 

[DanielT]

For inspiration these days, page after page:

 

[ShadowFiend]

It's also that a lot of speakers on the market (i'm not talkin about the big budget speakers, more the mainstream stuff) are very ugly plastic or glossy painted mdf boxes. While the trend in interior design is more natural materials (natural stone, light coloured wood, (loam) plaster, ...) and a lighter and softer color schemes with "earthy colours". Not many speakers in the mainstream market follow that trend. They are mostly in glossy white or black, with a very plastic feel. And people don't like that anymore. Looks is everything now, and sound quality is secondary for most people. Real wood (not mdf or plywood) is getting back popular for speakers pure for asthetic reasons, but it need to be light coloured wood, not dark brown coloured.

Exactly what I feel. Glossy black or dark brown is fine when the speakers are big towers and put in the big room. It creates the imposing feeling. But for a cozy/friendly feeling, which typical WAG wants for living room, those colors do not fit at all. And white speaker always creates the plastic view.

 

[Sokel]

Exactly. New sofa, painting the walls ((possibly new wallpaper) and ceiling, new furnishings, new lighting and so on to begin with.

That because what you said about ugly I think was spot on. Damn that looked depressing:
View attachment 413553

Yep,that's ugly.
All the unneeded stuff around the speakers have to go and put treatments instead

 

[Waxx]

Exactly what I feel. Glossy black or dark brown is fine when the speakers are big towers and put in the big room. It creates the imposing feeling. But for a cozy/friendly feeling, which typical WAG wants for living room, those colors do not fit at all. And white speaker always creates the plastic view.

It's not the size direct that is the issue, it's the styling. These Sibelius SG towers are very popular arround here, because they are made in real (oak) wood and fit the modern asthetics.

They are a simple minimalistic design, with a natural finish in light brown. The design is a very simple TQWT with a Mark Audio Alpair 10 series driver (OEM variation of the Alpair 10.3) designed by Scott Lindgren (Mark Audo/Woden Designs) and Chris Caberg (under the supervision of Harley Lovegrove, the owner of Sibelius Audio) and build in France. They sound good for a single driver fullrange driver (off course not Neumann or Genelec style good, but enjoyable) and sell a lot, but mainly because of the asthetics.

If speakers would more look like these, they would be easier to pass the WAF test and you can get away with bigger sizes. The same speaker in glossy black finish, or even glossy white finish will not. The younger generations don't like that look anymore.

 

[Mart68]

Exactly. New sofa, painting the walls (possibly new wallpaper) and ceiling, new furnishings, new lighting and so on to begin with.

That because what you said about ugly I think was spot on. Damn that looked depressing:
View attachment 413553

Quite funny that they are worrying about the aesthetics of the loudspeakers in room like that.

Take out the TV and speakers and the pic could be from the 1940s.

 

[Sokel]

Quite funny that they are worrying about the aesthetics of the loudspeakers in room like that.

Take out the TV and speakers and the pic could be from the 1940s.

'20s,'30s and some of '40s were nice,that's abandoned '70s.

 

[DanielT]

Quite funny that they are worrying about the aesthetics of the loudspeakers in room like that.

Take out the TV and speakers and the pic could be from the 1940s.

So it seems.

Speaking of interior design styles and trends.It seems that the white, somewhat sterile interior style is on the decline. I think that room should adopt what Ikea has as its number for 2024:

Interior design trend 1: Colour, colour and more colour​

Interior design trends 2024

How do we decorate in 2024? Think unexpected combinations, during the year we will see lots of maxed out mixes. Here you will find some of the most prominent interior design trends for 2024.

www.ikea.com

Like:

 

[BeeKay]

On a serious note: I always would prefer a lesser performing aesthetic speaker or component over say an optical insult like a top end Wilson or the likes. Any time.

 

[olieb]

That because what you said about ugly I think was spot on. Damn that looked depressing:

Quite funny that they are worrying about the aesthetics of the loudspeakers in room like that.
Take out the TV and speakers and the pic could be from the 1940s.

The problem is more about the photo than about the room. It is just too dark (40s lighting )
I lightened it a bit up.

That does not make it exactly beautiful and It is not my style, but it looks way better still.
The impact of the speakers is obvious and so is the cable clutter. I would get rid of the screen first, though. And there is probably a lot more than can be improved besides the speakers. What happened to that ceiling?

 

[Mart68]

The problem is more about the photo than about the room. It is just too dark (40s lighting )
I lightened it a bit up.
View attachment 413603
That does not make it exactly beautiful and It is not my style, but it looks way better still.
The impact of the speakers is obvious and so is the cable clutter. I would get rid of the screen first, though. And there is probably a lot more than can be improved besides the speakers. What happened to that ceiling?

That is better but to some extent it does reveal more of the horror of it.

Of course these things are personal and my room is not exactly from an Ideal Homes exhibition but that really dark furniture and floor against plain white walls doesn't work.

The sideboard to the right of the image is especially bad. I have something like that in one of the bedrooms, abandoned there by previous owner of the house. The draws were lined with a newspaper from 1945. I left it alone since 99% of the time I'm in that room, I'm unconscious.

 

[holdingpants01]

The problem is more about the photo than about the room. It is just too dark (40s lighting )
I lightened it a bit up.
View attachment 413603
That does not make it exactly beautiful and It is not my style, but it looks way better still.
The impact of the speakers is obvious and so is the cable clutter. I would get rid of the screen first, though. And there is probably a lot more than can be improved besides the speakers. What happened to that ceiling?

still looks like a crime scene, but brighter

 

[wadude]

Maybe if they added a couple of Roger Dean posters thumbtacked to the walls and an ornate bong on the coffee table?