It looks exactly like the photo, but it's not the pale shade of tan, it's more yellow which I dislike immensely.. It's got a compact shape (which I needed for my NYC apartment) and it's actually really attractive. 

It does throw a LOT of light so careful with the wattage on the bulbs you use. It's not diffused light by any means as the shade points more out than down. 

It's very sturdy, super easy to put together (I mean really easy) and it's nice addition to the room. If the color were more tan and the light more diffused I'd give it five stars. It's still nice, though.