I ordered this in the gray velvet. The color is absolutely beautiful! I think the gray is a little lighter than appears in the picture, which I had read int he other reviews. This is ok, because I was looking for it to be a dark gray, but without brown undertones. It has a little bit of blue undertones. Shipping was fast -- bed completely arrived in about a week; headboard arrived first, then the rest of the bed the following week. Unfortunately, UPS left both pieces outside my apartment and did not require a signature. Assembly was easy enough. I was able to do it myself as a 26 y/o female -- not to say an extra set of hands wouldn't have been helpful. Bed is extremely sturdy. I use a mattress without a box spring without any problems. If you are going to use a box spring, I wouldn't use a standard because the height will be too high. I admit I was nervous making such a large purchase online, but overall I am thrilled with this product and would recommend it to anyone!