Agreed, “unsexy” was just meant to hint at the lack of any superfluous eye candy.
The only potential improvement is that the side panels might make access to the keyboard a bit cumbersome as-is, but changing that would make building it more complicated.
It is beautiful! It doesn't pretend, it doesn't hide away its screws, and it isn't cheap plastic.
It clearly was put together with thought and care[0], it is not a bunch of junk stuffed into a box (as in a standard hobby project); angles were planned, metal bent, accessibility considered (that screen angle!).
This is an island of effort in a sea of lazy, fast & cheap.
[0] https://unimplementedtrap.com/media/sb116/SB116-Side-thumb.j...