Very nice setup Wendy. I too ended up going to a cabinet type solution to make things more aesthetically pleasing. Did you try any other kinds of shelving before going this route? Do you use any kinds of isolation devices under your components?
By the way, as mentioned, both men and women find themselves apart from most when it comes to this hobby. Like you, I've found that inviting others to help choose alternative cables, speakers ... helps a great deal. Good luck with the system.
