How many NICE looking high end floor standing speaker are there at present

My wife would laugh at this thread.  I'll get whatever I want, but I do always think about what she wouldn't mind.  I too like a great auto painted finish right now and I used to build wood furniture for the house and can do veneering (a specialty to say the least).  I use plants to hide the Audioquest Niagara power strip and the Hurricane cords (three large woven cables to make the cord) as well as the double, true bi wire run of speaker cables.  I sent back a pair of granite bases I had custom made for my Vandy Quatro's as they didn't route the bevel the size I told them to.  There are too many great products on the market not to be able to get a speaker that looks great to you (not just you talking yourself into it) and also sounds great.  

I asked my audio buddies this question and so far 5 have come back saying that looks do matter to them just as my as sound does.  I honestly don't feel it's just a gender deal at all.  

It kinda depends on your taste in furniture; some (like me) prefer a minimalist look, whereas others like a more "decorated" exterior. I've been happy sitting looking at my Vandersteen Treo CTs for some years now. All of his speakers except the Model 2 have a similar, slab-sided truncated-pyramid look, and a high-quality exterior finish.

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/treo-ct

How about something from Shahinian Acoustics,  Obelisk, small in stature, big in sound, depending on favorite types of music. Looks not so much like a conventional speaker. With a little more room available, maybe his Hawk assembly. Have both, one in main (Hawks) one in second system. As soon as music starts, they disappear  

Hey, if you listen in an Eames Chair, these should work well:

https://www.davoneaudio.com/images/lounge/mid-century-modern-danish-design-lounge-ray-speaker.jpg

Or if you aren't afraid to have the feeling someone's watching you:

https://www.cabasse.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Baltic4_1_500.png

Well, amazing, all the odds and ends of speaker 'cabinet' designs coming out of the woodworks. Some more familiar, some not so much. 

Many van der Steen (vandy) fans I notice. His creations have come a long way, I understand. Thus since I had the opportunity to pull the 'sock' of one of his then creations. Pretty weird, not my thing, leaving quite an impression though. 😊

As for side firing woofers... bass, as we surely have heard is *not directional*.
Expanding sphericaly - non-directional, yes?
Two side-firing woofers (toward each other), actually reinfore themselfs.
The reason why Dieter Burmester had favoured that principle, he'd said. RIP 2015.
Woofers then also not too close to the floor! As this would interfere with additional bass 'off timing' floor-reinforment. 

Lastly, surely all noticed, percussions/the drum sets, are practically always residing in back of the leading action. Why?
So it socks you not right in the face... front firing? 

BTW, I have the B961 x-over displayed on my system, apparently Linkwitz type, but clearly seperate high/mid and bass portion and with plenty Mundorf caps + bypass-caps, and resistors (Mills and Kiwame). 

So, 🔥... 😉 

Michélle 🇿🇦