Suggestions for 1st HTPC

Been lurking for quite awhile to get ideas for my first build. Have seen some nice setups, but none seem to match my wants. I am not afraid to build from scratch, it has been a few years since I build my own PC. Looking for storage and simplicity.

My needs are:

HDMI. Able to handle 1080p. I want all storage to be local, so a board that supports a lot of hard drives is a must, as well as a case they can be mounted inside. Not keen on externals. I want to be able to add drives when needed, instead of swapping out smaller drives for bigger ones. Also suggestions for a simple remote that works without much work is a must. Also it will be Windows 7, running SABnbzd and sickbeard along with XBMC.

Having seen the Fractal Designs R3 case on these boards recently, that's definitely what I'm going to be getting for my file server soon. I don't think it would look too bad next to a TV in any room, even if mine is going to be hidden in a cupboard.