Posting a photo would be really helpful.

Thanks and you're right. I will take one tonight when I get home and post.

Without a picture....how about baskets...you can cut a hole in the back and feed the wires through and they will not show.

Thank you but when I post the picture you'll see why that won't work - we have to have access to the front - it's the DirectTV box :(

how about this?

https://www.cabletiesandmore.com/smooth-mould-cord-cover.php

I like that - thank you. Not sure it will work w so many cords

Here is the photo

There are so many cords bottom row ☹

These decorations aren't cast in stone either... just something for now

That's a great idea. I'm not sure what material to use... thanks!

You might look into a piece of sound board, ceiling tile, or insulation board, even a neutral color poster board cut to size, might work with a few pieces of gorilla tape rolled to attach it to your shelf unit on the back? Barbara was probably on the cheapest track/solution.

Excellent suggestions. Thank you!

Perforated aluminum sheets, available at Home Depot (here), would work.

Buy shorter cables (smallest you can fit) to minimize the rats nest. You can find anything you need on Amazon or Monoprice.com. From there, use hook and loop strips (not zip ties) to bundle them and make them tidy. Zip ties can pinch wires and cause signal degradation if pulled too tight. Dont make tight folds with the cables either, you want sweeping arcs so things dont get pinched. You can use the hook and loop to hide cables running up your furniture too. Be careful with putting stuff inside boxes with limited ventilation as heat is really bad on electronics.

Invest in some of the Velcro straps or plastic ties to hold all your cords together to make one length of cords to hide rather than a lot of stray cords.

Use a power strip available at most big box stores -- one with a half dozen outlets for plugging in multiple electrical cords so you only have the one electrical cord going to the electric outlet to hide.

https://www.bhg.com/shop/ge-ge-power-strip-surge-protector-6-outlets-10ft-extra-long-power-cord-flat-plug-800-joules-safety-locks-multi-outlet-wall-mount-white-14092-pcfd338f8a0d939373d7901b4c5a9dd38.html

For your entertainment -- I like the city skyline.

http://industrystandarddesign.com/11-sneaky-tricks-to-hide-those-ugly-wires-at-home/

Velcro over zip ties for sure, and she’s already using a power strip. Sorta hidden behind the right leg.

Use fabric. Gather the fabric so that it is shirred, and put it on all three sides on the inside of the unit. Attach it at top and bottom with thumbtacks or even duct tape since you wont be able to see it. You can use two pieces in the front so that you can reach in between them to get to the cords etc. And fabric can be changed out.

I would put a false back on your stand behind the components on the lowest shelf. Put all your cords behind it, with holes or slots for access. To make this easier to install, put felt feet on the corners of the stand, so that you can slide it out to access everything from the rear.

Everyone's ideas are great! Thank you all so much for your thoughtful contributions! I am hoping to try out a solution very soon.