The Charging Station Conundrum

After attempting to do a thorough search for electronic device charger organizing solutions ( EDCOS, anyone?), I didn't come up with much. Apparently, this has been a challenge for much of the gadget-loving population. If it's not overly executive-looking, then it's very Martha Stewart-y. Or it's just something made from the same plastic material as your circa 1995 Aiwa boombox with dual cassette player. The following are ones that I considered for a minute.



This one is a good example of "Overly Executive." It's an unassuming dark brown color. If you've got a glass top office desk with dark wood finish, this would blend right in. Just look at the image. This is for someone who needs to have access to 2 pairs of glasses at the same time!

Frontgate @ Skymall








Another executive-ish one. It's more compact so it won't take up too much desk space. I just wish it came in other colors aside from brown and black. I'd like to see it in lime.


Mini Overly Executive @ Kangaroomstorage.com








This Pottery Barn charging station will match your shabby-chic decorator palette. It's simple and elegant. I'm thinking about getting this one, but adding some graphic elements to the sides and/or drawer. Or even just some basic color breaks.

Martha Stewart-y @ Pottery Barn






The Multi-Pot has a different take on the functional design of charging stations by positioning the elements around a cylindrical shape. It looks like all of the plugs insert from the bottom into a multi-socket outlet at the top. The various devices sit at the very top with all of the wiring stored inside. I'm not going for this one for two reasons. 1. The wires are still messy looking and will drive me crazy. 2. It looks like a trash receptacle, no?

The Multi-pot @ The Conran Shop

This one from Kanga Room is my top pick so far. It's slim in design while still being functional. It hides the socket area, but still has a sliding door to make it accessible. And, for the win, your devices stand up so that you can glance at the screen in case you get a call or text message. And at $35, it's totally affordable.
Take a look here.

There are also several DIY projects that address the charging station dilemma. Click the links for a few interesting ones...

Using a box from the Container Store
Ikea Hacker's Floating Charging Station
Lifehacker's Cord & Charger Box

Anyone else find any good solutions?