The most important requirement is that it be CHEAP TO BUILD.  At least as far as the cost of components.

The IR library is home-made since I didn't like how other ones worked.  The downside is that it only works with Sony remote controls.  It should be easy to add support for other makes.

The box was made from several pieces of 1/4" and 1/2" plywood.  A router was used to make paths for wires to go through.  Not sure if a 3D printer would have made it any easier.

Originally, the plan was to have the piece of paper with "Welcome" and "Please Wait" written as a mirror image and the paper held backwards.  The idea was that you wouldn't see the writing when the blinking LEDs were not lit.  It didn't look so good, so that plan was scrapped.

The PCB was a simple generic board with holes on a grid.  Magnet wire was used to connect the components.