I don't like the wood veneer at all - it's an unattractive color and I think cheapens the table. The shape of the table is beautiful and a nice change from traditional square/rectangular lines.  It's bigger than I expected and will hold A LOT on the two shelves. I live in an old building with very high ceilings, so the dimensions work perfectly, but I think it could potentially dwarf other furniture items in a smaller room.