I remember when I first started playing my flute not quite a year ago, just a few tones in the beginning, I also paid attention to the look and feel of my flute.  The weight of it, how the pieces fit together, have the keys felt under my fingertips.  I found myself thinking about that the other day.  Instruments make beautiful sounds but they also are beautiful in their presentation.  Pianos are sleek and polished with their curves and angles, brass instruments with their shines and twists and turns, string instruments are made of beautiful wood. 
Even the flute that hasn't been recently polished has a beautiful patina to it, and I love the feel of the keys – the curves and ridges and edges.  They look so strong, but also delicate and elegant, and you have to be so careful with them.  It's surprisingly easy to dent or somehow damage an instrument, and they need to be treated with care and respect in order to get the beautiful music.