My computer is ruling my living room!

Go to a used/remaindered book store and find a couple large format books with nice looking covers, glue the pages together and carve out the inside and cut a notch for the cord. Depending on the how the sizes work out you can either keep the notebook in it while you work, or take it out, rest the book on your lap, and rest the notebook on the real book for a little lap table. If you're more ambitious, you can make a decent slip cover out of an old book with cardboard, foam core and glue. (You could also get somethign like a binder and print a cover for it.) For the power cords, you can use a cigar/jewlery/nicknack box to hide them. Or repeat the book trick and keep a stack of books on your end table.

I suppose getting end tables with drawers, or having drawers fitted to your existing tables, is out of the question?

WOW I just went through this as well, yesterday in fact. I just put mine away back in my notebook bag after I am done using it, and yeah she won but I can move on with my life and that buzzing in my ear has stopped.

I keep mine on a console table that is behind a couch. I keep it in a shallow basket, sort of like http://www.worldmarket.com/baskets/storage-baskets/Madras-Storage-Basket/lev/4/productId/1950/Ne/1100001/Ns/NEW_ARRIVAL_FLAG%7C1%7C%7CCATEGORY_SEQ_3098%7C0/N/1100431/Nty/1/view/10000/index.pro. Maybe you could place a basket beneath each table.

Wow, Ookseer. Are you sure you're not Martha Stewart? That is a VERY interesting idea- albeit a bit ambitious for me. I like the idea of keeping it upright between the couch and the table but I also like the basket idea... Maybe there is a basket I can find that will fit sideways against the sofa and I can just drop the computer into that. Better yet, a foam lined wooden box that can rest between the sofa and the table with only the top fully open. The side can have a slot that faces out the back to guide the power cord. Hell, I can build that myself! I love the hive. Thanks everyone! (I'm still open to other ideas! )

How badly to you want to hide it? The basket is a nice idea, in with the magazines. I keep mine, sometimes, on edge between an end table and the hifi rack. It's pretty dark in that corner so it is unobtrusive. An end table with a shelf underneath would work, but you would still see the computer. These shelves tend to accumulate magazines and books also. An end table which is more like a chest with drawers might work. Put the laptops into a drawer. Want them plugged in? Drill a small hole into the back for the power cord so they can be plugged in inside the drawer. I wouldn't leave them powered up in there though, it might get too hot. You could also rig a small bin on the back of such an end table that would let you store the laptop vertically behind the end table, preferably of wire construction so that heat could dissapate. I am thinking kind of like those bins outside of examining rooms into which they place the medical charts.

That upright basket sounds good, but make sure your laptop is turned off and/or doesn't get too hot while charging, as it could easily overheat in an foam lined box with no ventilation.

My S.O. and I have the same problem - she picked up one of http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00064BF2W.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS384_.jpgfrom Target (part of the 'my house' collection I believe - $129+tax). We can slide the notebooks in and out of the space right below the top surface and we keep power adapters (extra ones we purchased on ebay) tucked under the couch but within reach, constantly plugged in behind the couch with low-profile right angle extension cords. Everything is for the most part hidden and the laptops are still within arm's reach. Good luck to you!

Two words: http://www.nextag.com/storage-ottoman/search-html.