Living in the Baltimore area, you can't have a basement without a Raven's wall.
This is a neat trick that we saw in a model home. Many basements have those small 'half windows' just above ground level. In this instance I just framed a full window, put some rope lighting behind it with shutters on the front and it gives the illusion of a full window.
The component rack was made out of melamine that you can buy at your local hardware store with pre-drilled holes for shelves. Drawers were made with standard pine and full extension brackets. The door and drawer fronts are also pine with smoked glass. The finish is Bombay Mahogany PolyShades.
The component rack was placed under the stairs to make it easier to get to the wires in the back.
Of course you start off trying to make your wires all nice and neat and then.... GIVE UP!